Australia's chairman of selectors George Bailey has defended the omission of explosive batter Jake Fraser-McGurk from their T20 World Cup squad, saying he is an exciting option going forward but their top-three, including David Warner, have been doing well.
Australia's stand-in skipper and batting mainstay Steve Smith announced his retirement from One-Day Internationals following his team's semi-final loss to India in the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday.
Nathan McSweeney, who opened in the first three Tests with little success, has been dropped.
The Prime Minister's XI team will be led by uncapped all-rounder Jack Edwards of New South Wales.
Rookie Australia opener Nathan McSweeney admitted feeling "devastated" after being dropped for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, but vowed to work hard to reclaim his spot in the national team.
Australia announced a 16-member squad on Thursday with several fresh faces added to the group that played India in the fifth and final Test at Sydney last week. Australia won the marquee series 3-1.
Boland is ready to step in once again for Josh Hazlewood, continuing the role of the perfect first substitute that has defined his 11-Test career.
Selectors have recalled pace stalwart Hazlewood for the second ODI after he missed the MCG match to play Sheffield Shield cricket.
Australia are already without another regular all-rounder in Cameron Green, who was ruled out of the India series after opting to have surgery on a stress fracture in his lumbar spine.
'I've got a few plans against those (Indian) bowlers. Feeling like I'm moving really nice and hopefully I get that opportunity.'
Uncapped McSweeney to open with Khawaja in India series
Australia's Test regulars will skip the three-match series against Pakistan in November as they prepare for the blockbuster clash against India.
Nathan McSweeney is on the brink of a major debut, set to partner Usman Khawaja as Australia's opening batters in the series against India.
Boland credited his intense rehabilitation for getting him back in the national reckoning.
'Unique action, and it's a little bit tricky to pick up some cues.'
Beau Webster is just the second player in the Sheffield Shield competition's 132-year history to score more than 900 runs and take 30 wickets in a season. The legendary Gary Sobers was the first to achieve the feat.
Andrew McDonald backs Mitch Marsh for Australian captaincy
Stoinis lost his spot in Australia's ODI team to Marnus Labuschagne during the World Cup in India
Apart from Renshaw's inclusion in place of Warner, there are no changes to the squad which beat Pakistan by eight wickets in the third and final test to sweep the series 3-0 last week.
'Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position.'
Australian chair of selectors George Bailey said Fraser-McGurk and Short made "compelling cases" for selection, and provide better than adequate cover should squad members go down during the tournament.
Australia are hosting West Indies for three T20s between Feb. 9-13 as part of their preparations for the T20 World Cup, which will be held in the Caribbean and U.S. in June.
Jake Fraser-McGurk set the IPL alight with his smashing performance with the bat for Delhi Capitals, hitting 330 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 234.
Australia's decision to field an unchanged frontline pace attack last summer might have been unusual as selectors now reassess their seam options after losing allrounder Cameron Green.
Pooran, Powell make fifties as WI hammer nine-man Australia by 35 runs
The CSK captain 'likes smoking a bit of the sheesha or the hookah. So, he quite often would set that up in his room, and it was very much open door policy. You would go in and quite often find a lot of younger players there.'
Veteran Smith, IPL sensation Fraser-McGurk ignored; Marsh to lead Aus at T20 WC
Bailey confirmed that Warner will be selected for the West Indies series and will be expected to participate.
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said on Thursday Rohit Sharma "doesn't need to be taught to score hundreds".
Australia bring an ageing squad and a few players short of fitness to the T20 World Cup but will have the same easygoing confidence
Hazlewood will consult Cricket Australia's medical staff before deciding on his participation in the IPL, the report said.
David Warner and Ashton Agar were included in Australia's squad for next month's one-day international series in India on Thursday despite being sent home from the test tour this week.
Australia take on West Indies in a three-match T20 series starting in Hobart on Friday as part of their preparations for the June 1-29 World Cup in the Caribbean and United States.
Australia might be forced to use support staff as substitute fielders in the T20 World Cup warm-up games.
'I am a big fan of Travis Head as a cricketer, I believe he will be a future star for Australia in all forms of the game.'
The five-match series will begin on November 23 in Visakhapatnam and will conclude in Hyderabad on December 3.
Stand-in skipper Matthew Wade has lauded the depth of Australia's T20 team and says selectors will have a headache picking a World Cup squad following the whitewash in New Zealand.
Steve Smith and fast bowler Mitchell Starc have been ruled out of the white-ball series in South Africa through injuries.
Marnus Labuschagne broke into Australia's 15-member squad for the 50-over World Cup in India at the last possible moment on Thursday on the back of his strong recent form while injured opener Travis Head was also included.
Australia opener David Warner looks likely to get the Test farewell of his choice after being named in the 14-man squad for the opening clash in the three-match series against Pakistan on Sunday.
