Australia are confident that captain Pat Cummins will play a significant part in the Ashes series, head selector George Bailey said, as questions remain over the paceman's fitness for the opening Test in Perth.
McDonald also said the selectors would consider a Test recall for Mitch Marsh, even if Australia's white-ball captain said last week he would be watching the Ashes series beer in hand.
Australia's Lyon angry at being dropped for second Ashes Test
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that they will retain the same squad for the upcoming Adelaide Test, which will be starting on December 6.
Australian all-rounder Andrew McDonald became the fifth player to be transferred during the IPL trading window, moving from Delhi Daredevils to Royal Challengers Bangalore.
'A couple of weeks ago, did he think he was a chance (to play in Perth)? Potentially not, he was a little bit sore. Then you flip it forward two weeks and there's a lot more positivity. We've still got a little bit to go.'
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald believes the absence of Mohammed Shami during the marquee Border Gavaskar Trophy next month is a huge loss for India.
'I don't see an end date with the way he's training, the way he's preparing, the way he's moving.'
Konstas, 20, misses out after a poor tour with the bat in the West Indies, while Weatherald has been included after topping the Sheffield Shield runs list
Australia captain Pat Cummins said on Monday he was more likely than not to miss the first Ashes Test in Perth next month and is not absolutely certain of being fit for the second in Brisbane.
Across four Tests, Australia's fifth bowling option Marsh has bowled only 33 overs, a statistic that underscores his underutilisation. However, McDonald defended the all-rounder.
Pacer Doug Bollinger and all-rounder Andrew McDonald will make their Test debut as Australia on Friday named one of its most inexperienced teams in decades for the third and final Test match against an unchanged South Africa, starting in Sydney on Saturday. Along with 27-year-old Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle, 24, McDonald and Bollinger will make up one of the youngest and the most inexperienced Australian pace attack.
The beleaguered visitors have inducted Victoria all-rounder Andrew McDonald and New South Wales fast bowler Burt Cockley to prop the depleted side in the remainder of ther seven-match series against India.
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald on Saturday showered praise on David Warner and said that he is probably the greatest all-format Aussie player.
And it was only understandable that Australia's assistant coach Andrew McDonald felt for the spectators.
Royal Chellangers Bangalore all-rounder Andrew McDonald has said that three positions are still up for grabs after table toppers Delhi Daerdevils have virtually secured their place in the play offs of the ongoing Indian Premier League.
Andrew McDonald believes Glenn Maxwell's breath-taking shotmaking will inspire a new generation of cricketers.
There was no fan fare at the airport as the players quietly departed for their homes from the airport.
Australian head coach Andrew McDonald backed Mitchell Starc ahead of the Ashes series starting from June 16 at Edgbaston.
Adam Griffith has been tasked with grooming the next generation of Australian pace bowlers for bigger assignments like Test cricket.
McDonald said there was no concern around Marsh's lack of match practice over the last two months as Australia will play some practice games before their T20 World Cup opener against Oman on June 5.
'Australia skipper Marsh not ready to bowl for start of World Cup'
Langer puts faith in deputy ahead of ODI series in India: 'He's an excellent coach, we've got other excellent coaches to back him up. I said to him I won't ring him, I'll let him go. He said 'I might ring you', that's the difference. He'll do a really good job'
Starc also pointed out that the wicket did not assist pacers that much with the new ball and expressed concerns over Nathan Lyon's injury on the final day of the Test and the setback to Hazlewood.
The home team bowlers did not put a foot wrong but the pitch "surprisingly" dried up quite quickly at the Optus stadium on the second day, eventually helping the Indian batters, reckons Australia head coach Andrew McDonald.
Teenager Konstas to make debut in fourth Test against India
'Steve had expressed a desire to move back down from that opening position.'
Returning to the bowling crease would mark the final stage of Green's carefully looked-after return to cricket after a spinal fusion operation in Christchurch.
Andrew McDonald backs Mitch Marsh for Australian captaincy
Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has been appointed an assistant coach of Australia after working with the squad during the white-ball component of the Pakistan tour.
Australia captain Pat Cummins is all but ruled out of the Champions Trophy while fellow paceman Josh Hazlewood is also a doubt for the tournament.
Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne said he had "never seen" someone bowl like the way Pat Cummins did during the World Cup final against India, which they won by six wickets for a record-extending sixth title.
Australia coach McDonald dismisses 'far-fetched' Cummins resignation talk
Australia's bowling was of the highest quality on the final day and there were positives in the batting, too, throughout the third Test in Melbourne.
'We had one hour of chaos there and that cost us that Test match when we'd played pretty good cricket. We came here and doubled down on what we'd set out to achieve at the start of the tour.'
The 39-year-old will resume his duties with the Australian men's team at the conclusion of the IPL.
Mitchell Marsh will captain Australia from a distance when they take on West Indies in the first of three Twenty20 internationals on Friday.
'This wasn't an easy decision, but I believe it's the right time for me to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career.'
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald fears there could be more COVID-19 cases in their T20 World Cup squad after Adam Zampa and Matthew Wade contracted the virus midway into their title defence.
'I don't think it's deserved. I think he'll be able to work through that. It's a new challenge for him, a new position.'
