Aus team for India tour announced
First Published : 31 Jan 2013, 10:34
Last Modified : 19 Feb 2013, 20:24
MEDIA RELEASE
The Cricket Australia (CA) National Selection Panel (NSP has today advised of the following 17-player squad for Australia’s approaching four-Test VB Tour of India.
The Australian squad for the VB Tour of India is:
Michael Clarke (c), Shane Watson (vc), Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, Xavier Doherty, Moises Henriques, Phillip Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
Commenting on the squad, National Selector John Inverarity said: “The NSP announces this 17 man squad for the VB Tour of India.
“The First Test is scheduled to begin on 22 February in Chennai and, prior to the Test match, we have a good opportunity for members of the squad to get well acclimatised to the conditions with two warm-up fixtures.
“In the next 48 hours the NSP will finalise which players will go to India early, once we have all available information and have finalised the squad for the final three Commonwealth Bank Series matches.
“This squad has the flexibility that will be required for the varying conditions expected in India and it will provide valuable experience to a number of young players.
“The squad includes a spin bowling all-rounder in Maxwell and a medium-fast all-rounder in Henriques. In aiming for more depth in a bowling attack, the squad would allow for three pace bowlers, a leading spinner and Maxwell or two pace bowlers, the two spinners and Henriques. These are two of the options.
“Xavier Doherty also returns to the Test squad. We certainly feel he is much improved in the longer format of the game since he made his Test debut in 2010-11 against England.
“It is a long tour and a very important one as we look to continue our improvement in Test cricket and our quest to return to the top of the ICC Test cricket rankings. We are also building towards back-to-back Ashes series,” Inverarity said.
The Australian one-day squad for games three, four and five of the Commonwealth Bank Series against West Indies will be announced on Saturday, along with confirming which players will travel to India with the advance group.
Australia’s four Test VB Tour of India:
Tour Matches:
12-13 February: Guru Nanak Ground, Chennai
16-18 February: Guru Nanak Ground, Chennai
Border-Gavaskar Series:
First Test, 22 - 26 February 2013: M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Second Test, 2 - 6 March 2013: Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad
Third Test, 14 - 18 March 2013: PCA Stadium, Mohali
Fourth Test, 22 - 26 March 2013: Ferozeshah Kotla Ground, Delhi
