Cricket Australia has named the squad for the Prime Minister’s XI in the two-day pink-ball fixture against India in Canberra. They will be led by their quickly-becoming star pacer, Scott Boland, who will be looking to keep him prepared for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25, looking to come as a replacement at some point in time.
Sam Konstas, who featured for Australia A side against India A in the two unofficial red-ball games in Mackay and Melbourne, will also play the game along with the left-handed opening batter Matt Renshaw, who was overlooked for the series opener in Perth despite being addressed as the reverse opener of the side earlier this year.
Konstas, the 19-year-old opening batter, has cracked 577 runs in nine first-class games at an average of 41.21 and a strike rate of 49 with the help of two centuries and as many half-centuries at the best score of 152 runs.
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The left-handed opening batter has been part of 7395 runs in 120 FC games at an average of 37.72 and a strike rate of 48, shouldering one 22 centuries and 22 half-centuries at the best score of an unbeaten 200. In his last red-ball FC encounter, he drilled 121 runs in the first innings against Queensland at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
Jack Edwards to lead Australia’s Prime Minister’s XI vs India
Boland is another Australian pacer who has been hailed in the country at a high rate on the back of his superb Ashes 2020-21 with the help of 35 scalps in ten games at an average of 20.34 and a strike rate of around seven overs. In the only unofficial games he featured for Australia A at the MCG, he picked up one solitary wicket across two innings.
Jack Edwards, the all-rounder from New South Wales, will lead the side and is joined by the state team-mate, Ollie Davies for the game, which will take place on November 30 and December 01.
“The Prime Minister’s XI match presents an opportunity for a highly talented squad to impress against a strong Indian team in their only pink-ball hit out before the second Test. We are utilizing the opportunity to maintain Scott Boland’s match fitness in his preparations as part of the Test squad.” The national selector of the side, George Bailey, addressed in the press conference.
Konstas is one of the four members of the Australia Under-19 side that claimed the World Cup earlier this year who will be part of the side, consisting of the quicks of Mahli Beardman, Charlie Anderson, and Aiden O’Connor.
Beardman, the 19-year-old Western Australia fast bowler, has been a shocking inclusion in the tour of England, and he has still only played one professional game. For Anderson, the call-up follows the hasty debut earlier this season when he was a last-minute replacement for an ill Josh Hazlewood in the One-day match against Victoria, where he picked up three wickets for 37 runs in the bowling along with Pat Cummins, having traveled with the senior squad.
“Taking on India, one of the best sides in world cricket featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant, will be an amazing experience for the squad, particularly knowing that millions of fans around the globe will be watching the match.” Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remarked.
Prime Minister’s XI Squad vs India
Jack Edwards (captain), Charlie Anderson, Mahli Beardman, Scott Boland, Jack Clayton, Aidan O’Connor, Ollie Davies, Jayden Goodwin, Sam Harper, Hanno Jacobs, Sam Konstas, Lloyd Pope, Matthew Renshaw, and Jem Ryan