Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney will get an opportunity to press their case for Ashes selection in next month’s Australia A tour of India.
On Thursday, Cricket Australia announced a 14-player squad for the two four-day matches against India A in Lucknow, which will be followed by three one-day game in Kanpur.
Konstas and McSweeney, who are both fighting for Test selection, headline the touring party alongside fellow Australian representatives Cooper Connolly, Josh Philippe, Xavier Bartlett, Aaron Hardie, Lance Morris and Todd Murphy.
Rising stars Fergus O’Neill, Campbell Kellaway and Corey Rocchiccioli have also earned a call-up, along with Victorian teenager Oliver Peake, New South Wales captain Jack Edwards and South Australian bowler Liam Scott.
Tasmanian opener Jake Weatherald, the leading run-scorer from last season’s Sheffield Shield, missed selection for the Australia A tour, along with West Australian bowler Jhye Richardson.
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“The sub-continent provides many unique challenges and the opportunity to utilise different skills with bat and ball,” chair of selectors George Bailey said in a statement.
“We hope repeated experiences in these conditions will assist players in developing an effective method and understanding of their game for future sub-continent tours.
“For many of these players we remain interested in the development of their short form cricket as well, but balancing out priorities meant we wanted them back and available for the start of the Sheffield Shield season.
“This provides opportunities for Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Tanveer Sangha, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland and Callum Vidler who will play the one-day matches in Kanpur.”
Australia A four-day squad
Xavier Bartlett (QLD/Gold Coast CC)
Cooper Connolly (WA/Scarborough CC)
Jack Edwards (NSW/Manly Warringah CC)
Aaron Hardie (WA/Willetton CC)
Campbell Kellaway (VIC/Melbourne CC)
Sam Konstas (NSW/Sutherland District CC)
Nathan McSweeney (SA/Glenelg CC)
Lance Morris (WA/Scarborough CC)
Todd Murphy (VIC/St Kilda CC)
Fergus O’Neill (VIC/Melbourne CC)
Oliver Peake (VIC/Geelong CC)
Josh Philippe (NSW/Western Suburbs District CC)
Corey Rocchiccioli (WA/University CC)
Liam Scott (SA/Glenelg CC)
Australia A one-day squad
Cooper Connolly (WA/ Scarborough CC)
Harry Dixon (VIC/St Kilda CC)
Jack Edwards (NSW/Manly Warringah CC)
Sam Elliott (VIC/Fitzroy Doncaster CC)
Jake Fraser-McGurk (SA/West Torrens CC)
Aaron Hardie (WA/Willetton CC)
Mackenzie Harvey (SA/Sturt CC)
Todd Murphy (VIC/St Kilda CC)
Tanveer Sangha (NSW/Campbelltown Camden CC)
Liam Scott (SA/Glenelg CC)
Lachie Shaw (NSW/Northern District CC)
Tom Straker (QLD/Valley District CC)
Will Sutherland (VIC/ Prahran CC)
Callum Vidler (QLD/Valley District CC)
Australia A Tour Schedule
Sept 16-19: Australia A v India A | Lucknow
Sept 23-26: Australia A v India A | Lucknow
Sept 30: Australia A v India A | Kanpur
October 3: Australia A v India A | Kanpur
October 5: Australia A v India A | Kanpur
