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Australia name inexperienced squad for Test Test tour of Bangladesh

13th September, 2015
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Cameron Bancroft is among a number of the country's brightest. Is he due a baggy green? (AAP Image/Will Russell)
13th September, 2015
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After a long and challenging tour of England for the Ashes and one day series, Australia has named a comparatively young and inexperienced squad for their Test tour of Bangladesh.

Steve Smith will captain the team, while the oldest member of the 15-man group, Adam Voges, has been named vice captain after the retirements of Brad Haddin, Chris Rogers and Shane Watson.

New faces include Western Australian Cameron Bancroft, who will push for a spot at the top of the order with Rogers out of the side.

Pat Cummins also makes his return to the Test squad, having played only limited overs cricket for Australia in the last four years. He made an impressive Test debut against South Africa, but injuries have since kept him out of the creams.

Joe Burns returns to the squad after playing in the one day series against England, as does Glenn Maxwell.

Spinner Stephen O’Keefe has been included, and will likely have a chance of playing on the responsive wickets in the sub continent.

The pace contingent is Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, Andrew Fekete and Cummins. Frontline seamers Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Johnson have not been included to tour.

30-year-old Andrew Fekete will be a surprise inclusion to many, but good Sheffield Shield form last year gave him an opportunity in Australian colours.

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Usman Khawaja is another selection that will please plenty of people.

Selector Rod Marsh said: “The retirements of five players from the squad that went on the Ashes tour, as well as issues of injury, form and conditions have brought about a major change in the profile of the touring party from the one that toured the British Isles.

“But with that change comes a fantastic opportunity for all the players going to Bangladesh.

“They are going as a young group with seven of the players aged 26 or less, and all 15 have the opportunity to kick on and, in the case of Cameron Bancroft and Andrew Fekete, kick off their Test careers and establish themselves as the core of the side for years to come.

“It is an exciting time to be involved in Australian cricket, with a new captain in Steve Smith and a crop of hugely talented players alongside him with the chance to forge a bright future for our national side.

“Cameron is a player who impressed everyone on the recent A tour of India.

“He can bat for long periods of time and scored an outstanding 150 against India A in Chennai.

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“On that tour he played spin well, fielded brilliantly at bat-pad and his whole demeanour was that of a player who is determined to play Test cricket.

“He scored almost 900 first-class runs last season, he’s young, hungry and he could become a very good player for us over a long period of time.

“Andrew bowled really well last summer and followed that up on the A tour.

“He can generate reverse swing and that ability could be extremely useful in the conditions we expect to encounter in Bangladesh.

“Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood were not considered for the tour as, after heavy workloads over the past six months and with a significant amount of cricket to come, we wanted to make sure they are right to go at the start of our domestic summer.

“We expect both players to start bowling again in the next week or so, hopefully play some Matador Cup and Sheffield Shield cricket for their states and be ready for selection for the first home Test of the season, against New Zealand.”

On the omission of Fawad Ahmed, Marsh said:

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“It’s true that Fawad didn’t get many opportunities in either the West Indies or on the Ashes tour but when he did get them he didn’t bowl as well as I’m sure he would have wanted.

“He will go back to Victoria and hopefully start taking wickets to give us the right type of problem to have as a National Selection Panel.

“With Stephen O’Keefe, Nathan Lyon and Glenn Maxwell we believe we have the right number and the right type of spinners for the conditions we expect to encounter.”

Australian Test squad to tour Bangladesh
Steve Smith (c), Adam Voges (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Joe Burns, Patrick Cummins, Andrew Fekete, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Stephen O’Keefe, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc.

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