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Aussie hopefuls' challenging Ashes audition

Aussie hopefuls' challenging Ashes audition

Perth Now10 hours ago
Test batters Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney will have an early run in the looming Ashes bat-off after being named for the Australian A tour of India.
Australian chief selector George Bailey announced two squads on Thursday, a red-ball and a white-ball squad, for next month's subcontinent series.
The Aussies will play five games against India, starting on September 16 and finishing in early October.
McSweeney and Konstas headline a 14-strong red-ball squad that also includes Test hopefuls Cooper Connolly, Todd Murphy and Lance Morris.
Bailey said upcoming subcontinent tours were front of mind when picking the squad but made note of players returning in time for the start of the Sheffield Shield season.
'The subcontinent provides many unique challenges and the opportunity to utilise different skills with bat and ball,' Bailey said.
'We hope repeated experiences in these conditions will assist players in developing an effective method and understanding of their game for future subcontinent tours.
'For many of these players we remain interested in the development of their short-form cricket as well, but balancing out priorities meant we wanted them back and available for the start of the Sheffield Shield season.'
The white-ball series will provide opportunity to a host of Australia's up-and-comers, including Harry Dixon, Lachie Shaw and Tom Straker.
Out-of-form youngster Jake Fraser-McGurk will also get an opportunity to regain touch on pitches he has relished in the past.
Australia A (four-day squad):
Xavier Bartlett
Cooper Connolly
Jack Edwards
Aaron Hardie
Campbell Kellaway
Sam Konstas
Nathan McSweeney
Lance Morris
Todd Murphy
Fergus O'Neill
Oliver Peake
Josh Philippe
Corey Rocchiccioli
Liam Scott
Australia A (one-day squad):
Cooper Connolly
Harry Dixon
Jack Edwards
Sam Elliott
Jake Fraser-McGurk
Aaron Hardie
Mackenzie Harvey
Todd Murphy
Tanveer Sangha
Liam Scott
Lachie Shaw
Tom Straker
Will Sutherland
Callum Vidler
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"Repeat entries into the subcontinent is really important." Other Test players outside the current best XI like Scott Boland, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Kuhnemann and Sean Abbott have not been picked for the tour. Incumbent Australia Test opener Sam Konstas has reflected on a horror tour of the West Indies as he fights to retain his spot for the Ashes. The 19-year-old's place will come under pressure ahead of the summer, with uncapped Tasmanian Jake Weatherald one of many gunning to be Usman Khawaja's opening partner instead. But two four-day games for Australia A in India could give Konstas the opportunity to find form after his confidence took a battering in the Caribbean when he averaged 8.33 across three Tests. "The chat that I've had with Sam since we've returned (from the Windies tour) is that he's reflected on that and he's put a few things into his training," chairman of selectors George Bailey told reporters in Darwin on Thursday. "He's launched himself back into getting ready for India and then playing for NSW. "He's dealing with it well. I think he deals with most things pretty well." Darwin-bred Weatherald is in career-best form, topping the Sheffield Shield run-scorer list with 906 last season. The left-hander then dominated for Australia A against Sri Lanka last month, cashing in with 183. "He's doing a lot of things right, isn't he?" Bailey said. "His performance last year was awesome. "His performance in the Australia A matches was great, too. "A lot of selection is potentially being in the right place at the right time. "So if he starts the year as he had last year, he'll be well in the mix." Konstas will also get a chance to show selectors he can play in Asia, with Australia's defence of the Border-Gavaskar trophy due to take place in India in early 2027. The squad is, naturally, full of spin-bowling depth, but also of batting potential for the future. 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