Australia have named their 14-member squad for the two-match Test series against Pakistan. David Warner, who just managed 95 runs in Ashes, has kept his place but he might have a new opening partner in form of Joe Burns. Making his return to the Test side this year, he had scored 204 runs in the Sri Lanka series, including 185 in Canberra. The comeback of Cameron Bancroft saw Joe missing out on a place in the Ashes squad.
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Australia have retained Bancroft for the series while Marcus Harris, who scored 58 runs in three Ashes Test, has been dropped. Steven Smith will be playing his first Test at home since Ashes 2017/18.
Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne and Matthew Wade, who scored two centuries in Ashes, have been retained while Mithcell Marsh was already out due to hand injury which he had suffered after he punched the dressing room’s wall. Australia will miss out on the services of a quality pace-bowling all-rounder in his absence.
The hosts have once again named oodles of pacers in the squad. Vice-captain Pat Cummins will lead the pace attack along with James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Michael Neser, who was also a part of Ashes squad. Although he didn’t get any game. Peter Siddle, who played three Ashes Test, was dropped.
Nathan Lyon is the sole spinner in the squad as the selectors dropped Jon Holland, who was the second spinner for Ashes.
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Will Pucovski, who was in line to be called up to the Test team had for the second time in his career, wasn’t considered as he opted out citing mental health issues.
The two-match Test series kicks off on November 21 with the first Test to be played in Brisbane. The second Test of the series will be played with a pink ball and will start on November 29 in Adelaide.