Off-spinner Nathan Lyon has been dropped from Australia's squad for the one-day international series in New Zealand next month, while in-form batsman Usman Khawaja has also been overlooked for the three-match series.
Australia great Allan Bordrer was baffled by Cricket Australia's decision to rest all-rounder Mitchell Marsh from the squad for the second one-day international against India here. The junior of the Marsh brother has been replaced by John Hastings. Justifying the move selector Rod Marsh stated, "Mitch is a tremendous asset to Australian cricket and we are conscious of managing his workload and his travel, especially with so much cricket to come during the rest of this summer and beyond. "By taking this decision we have opted to give him an extra day at home in Perth after match one, before he flies to Melbourne on Thursday to prepare for Sunday's third match of the series."
Australia coach Darren Lehmann will have a 'private chat' with Usman Khawaja after the top order batsman publicly criticised selectors for dropping him during the Sri Lanka tour. Khawaja and opener Joe Burns were omitted for the third and final test in Colombo, which Australia lost to slump to a 3-0 series whitewash. Although both the Queenslanders struggled for runs, Khawaja told local media over the weekend he felt they were unfairly singled out.
Backing Shaun Tait's surprise return to the Australian T20 squad for the three-match series against India, former pacer Jason Gillespie said the tearaway speedster will cause a lot of damage on Indian tracks if he makes the squad for the World T20 starting March 8.
Conceding that the T20 call up against India came as a 'pleasant surprise', Australian all-rounder Shane Watson on Monday said his familiarity with Indian cricket through IPL helped him in reviving his faltering international career. After being dropped from the ODI side post last year's series against England, Watson had nearly given up hope on his international career, concentrating more on domestic T20 cricket like the Big Bash League. The 34-year-old batting all-rounder believes his performance for Sydney Thunder turned the tide in his favour. "Yes, it came as a pleasant surprise to me. In the end it just came down to doing well for Sydney Thunder in BBL and whatever happened from there from the Aussie side of things, because after being dropped from the One-day side I knew my international days are nearly over, so nice to get that surprise and get the call from Rod Marsh on Sunday," he added.
Shane Watson's international future looked bleak on Monday after the all-rounder was left out of Australia's 13-man squad for this month's one-day series against India on Monday.
Australia's selectors sprung a major surprise on Friday by naming uncapped fast bowler Joe Mennie in a 12-man squad for the first two matches of a three-test series against South Africa beginning in Perth next week. Mennie was part of an inexperienced bowling attack that was humbled by the Proteas batsmen in the recent one-day series in South Africa, which the hosts won 5-0. Despite accumulating figures of 0-82 on debut, the 27-year-old was preferred to Jackson Bird, who toured New Zealand and Sri Lanka as part of the Australian test squad.
Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson has revealed how his long-standing friendship with Shane Watson got off to a rocky start back in 2000, when the former all-rounder stuck his head in the toilet at the Australia's Cricket Academy in Adelaide.
Top-order batsman Usman Khawaja has been drafted into the Australia squad for the ongoing ODI series against India in place of opener David Warner whose wife is expecting the couple's second child. Khawaja will join the squad in Brisbane and, at this stage, will remain for matches two and three of the five-game series, at the Gabba on January 15, and at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 17 respectively, Cricket Australia said. National selector Rod Marsh said Warner would be welcomed back into the squad when circumstances allow.
Former Australian cricketer Dan Marsh has called on his country's side to consider George Bailey for selection for next year's tour of India
Michael Clarke may just meet the fitness deadline to lead the national team into the World Cup starting February 14, even as many Australia cricket officials are mulling appointing Steven Smith as full-time captain after the 50-over showpiece event.
The Marylebone Cricket Club's World Cricket Committee said they are not in favour of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar's suggestion of experimenting with two pitches in domestic cricket to aid in preparing the Indian team for overseas Test matches.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's wicket-keeping skills in the Test format has came under scrutiny yet again with former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe saying that the Indian captain has become a mere "stopper" due to burnout and attrition.
Following the retirements of Chris Rogers, captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson, Smith will lead a team in transition into the three-match series which wraps up with cricket's first day-night Test at the Adelaide Oval.
Batsmen Usman Khawaja, Adam Voges and Joe Burns have been rewarded for their strong form over the past 12 months by being awarded central contracts by Cricket Australia on Friday.
Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc will return from a broken foot during Australia's limited-overs triangular series in the West Indies in June.
Aaron Finch has been dumped as Australia's captain in the shorTest form of the game and replaced by Test skipper Steve Smith just a month before the start of the World Twenty20.
Shane Watson also named in T20 squad to be captained by Aaron Finch
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon fought hard to cement his place in the Test team and now hopes to convince selectors of his white ball prowess in time for the World Twenty20 in India.
Australia called up uncapped paceman Nathan Coulter-Nile for the first Test against West Indies on Tuesday as a replacement for left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc, who was ruled out of the series due to a broken foot.
Top order batsman Shaun Marsh was called into the Australia squad for the third Test against New Zealand on Wednesday along with pace bowler James Pattinson and left arm spinner Steve O'Keefe.
Australia's selectors have responded to the threat of a first ever Test series sweep on home soil by dropping five players from their squad for the third match against South Africa, which begins in Adelaide on Thursday. Joe Burns, Adam Voges and Callum Ferguson, as well as wicketkeeper Peter Nevill, paid the price for a string of batting collapses, while seamer Joe Mennie was also axed after the innings defeat in the second Test in Hobart.
The uncapped pair are the newcomers in captain Steven Smith's 15-man squad, which includes 10 players with less than 10 Tests, as Australia look to rebuild following a string of retirements after the Ashes defeat in England.
Peter Nevill has got the nod ahead of Brad Haddin as Australia's wicketkeeper for the third Ashes Test against England at Edgbaston, captain Michael Clarke confirmed on Tuesday.
Nearly three years have passed since George Bailey was shut out of Test cricket after one middling series but the door has creaked ajar as Australia searches for answers to its subcontinental malaise before a daunting tour to India.
Opener Matt Renshaw, Peter Handscomb and Nic Maddinson will all play their first Tests at Adelaide Oval after selectors wielded the axe following the Hobart humiliation, which gave South Africa an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series.
Australia's hapless performances in the 2-0 series loss to South Africa came in for huge criticism from the country's local media on Wednesday, with demands for heads to roll in both the dressing room and the corridors of power at Cricket Australia.
Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland rejected clarion calls for a formal review and said the game is in "good shape" despite the Test team's fifth successive defeat.
Injured captain Michael Clarke has been named in Australia's 15-man squad for the World Cup in February and March.
'When Michael made his decision to retire last week it was a very straight forward decision for us to nominate Steve as his successor' 'He is highly regarded by the selectors and we congratulate him on being appointed to the role on an ongoing basis. He should be incredibly proud'
The squad also sees the return of proven Test and one-day bowler James Pattinson, who joined Australia A in India after recovering from a string of injuries
Rajneesh Gupta surveys the bowling landscape in India-Australia Tests.
Australia have named Michael Clarke in a 12-man squad for the first Test against India starting in Brisbane next week, but the hamstrung captain must prove his fitness in a tour match starting on Friday.
While Shaun Marsh gets another go at resurrecting his career
Veteran Western Australian batsman Adam Voges in 17-man tour squad but give the cold shoulder to Glenn Maxwell.
Australian coach Darren Lehmann is reportedly considering playing reserve wicket-keeper Matthew Wade as a specialist batsman in the third Ashes Test at Old Trafford if he manages to make a good score in the tour game against county side Sussex, beginning on Friday.
Australia all-rounder Shane Watson is savouring his second chance at the World Cup after his omission from the side left him convinced he had played his last match at the tournament.
'Please don't ask questions on what kind of runs are expected from the track.'
Australia captain Michael Clarke defiant as Australia seek to salvage Ashes.
Michael Clarke's fitness for the Test series against India fading fast.
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