Faulkner returns as Australia announce squads for India

*quicks

It was scheduled this way due to the Champions Trophy

Faulkner should be in the T20 squad. 36 wickets in 24 games is not a bad record.

It is not about knowing how to play in Australia, I know Australia will do well at home. But still the scheduling does not make much sense to me. Why to go to India to just play ODI's? They could have done this earlier this year when they were on a test tour. India did the same last year. The unnecessary bi-lateral ODI's is going to kill the format.

These bi-lateral ODI series need to stop. It is fine when a team is on a full tour to a country and they play ODI's as a part of that tour. But to just travel to the country to play ODI's is boring to be frank. Considering the previous Australian ODI tour to India, this is going to be another high scoring dud with teams making in excess of 300 in every game. I hope at least the pitches are little bowling friendly this time.

No need to bat Smith at 4 in odi cricket. Since he is the best batsman in the team , I say they need to keep him at three.

Yet the regular triangular ODI series were canned years ago due to the belief that bi-lateral series had more context. The issue with tri-series was that they invariably had two good teams and a weak 3rd team just making up the numbers. So the only significant part of the series was the finals between the two good teams ... the qualifying period was a comparatively dull formality. In any case I enjoy bi-lateral series between good sides, like the upcoming one between Australia and India. Not so much when Australia play minnows like the Windies and NZ.

I'd have Cartwright ahead of Stoinis. Marcus has a terrible list A record. Just 'cause he had one good innings against NZ, doesn't make him a decent ODI bat. His IPL experience may be handy though, and I guess his bowling is stronger than Cartwright. Depends if you want to strengthen the batting or bowling.

I agree with Don. Add to that list Maxwell and you have plenty of batsmen.

Always a strange question, Brassy, when you go looking for purpose beyond the playing of the game. Cricketers want to play cricket. That means games have to be arranged. You might need to seek significant meaning elsewhere.

What purpose does this meaningless ODI series serve? They are going to be played on flat pitches on small grounds with both sides pulverizing the opposition bowlers into submission. Either side can win and it won't necessarily decide which side is better. They are both fantastic ODI sides. Really the ICC should get rid of these meaningless 3, 5 and even 7 match bilateral ODI and T20 series. Ideally test matches should be paramount. ODI cricket should comprise of only the WC and triangular and quadrangular cups in-between to infuse any meaning into the contest. T20 should be primarily a domestic league based form of the game with the ridiculous one off or 3 match bilateral series and the T20 WC done away with.

Presently Australia is 2nd.and India is 3rd. Ranked sides, hence it is going to be a see-saw battle for sure.

Stoinis, Head and Cartwright are all that player. Enjoy them. Steve Smith is still a pretty good #4 though. I'd keep him there...at least for the next 7 or 8 years.

There has never recently been a WA quota. NCN, Stoinis, Agar, Behrendorff are finally restoring the natural order. Wait until Joel Paris and Sam Whiteman start playing again. Ever wonder how good WA will be with those injured players all playing? Whiteman, NCN, Behrendorff, Agar, Paris, Mitch Marsh, Shaun Marsh and Simon Mackin all back from massive injury layoffs last year and Marcus Stoinis returning home where he debuted as a teen. What a bowling line up! There's potentially 500 runs/innings collectively with the bat in those players too.

Whoops! I read these after I added my comment. In fact, I'd say say Head, Cartwright, Stoinis and Maxwell are barely shield bowlers.

Smith (#4), Warner (opener), Cartwright (#3), Head (#4 or 5), Finch (opener), Stoinis (#3). Just because they bowl a bit does not make them not specialist batsmen.

This team is missing a Bailey type player to bat at four. Maybe in their mind Head can do that job but if so why wasnt he batting at four in the last tournament? I reckon Handscomb would have been an excellent pick to bat at that number four position. With what they pick, is stoinis and Maxwell good consistent enough batsmen to fill the number five and six position? That is my only issue. I do not think they are. Head is definitely talented enough to make number four his own. Head is no bits and pieces player.

Not everything has to be preparation for the Ashes. I like that cricket tests teams in vastly different conditions from series to series. The reason I'm not particularly looking forward to this series is because there is no more boring sight in international cricket than watching gun-barrel straight pace bowling being drop-kicked over tiny boundaries by mediocre batsmen with the surface offering nothing but pain for the bowlers in exchange for their toil. The pitches and grounds that are currently being used for limited overs cricket all over the world seem tailor-made for the most asinine play imaginable.

Maybe. But I think we know how to play in Australia.

LOL. They are still holding out for Henriques to suddenly actually contribute in a national side. He's like origami, folds under pressure.