For the long format of cricket, Australian fast bowler Jackson Bird is confident that he would retain his spot in the Steven Smith-led side which is scheduled to leave for Bangladesh on August 18, for the two-match Test series scheduled to kick start later this month.
“Hopefully selection goes my way, but it’s out of my hands,” Bird was quoted as saying by Cricket.com.au after an interview with The Unplayable Podcast.
It’s pertinent to mention the national selectors of Cricket Australia (CA) already announced the squad on June 16, and Bird is expecting to return as an add-on fast bowling option, as the first Test will be beginning from August 27 at Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.
“I haven’t really heard much about selection at this stage,” Bird remarked.
The 30-year-old Sydney-born Bird is seen as a next big thing after pace quartet Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, James Pattinson and Pat Cummins.
However, the left-arm Starc was told to rest owing to the traditional Ashes, which is further subjected to gain full fitness for traditional series.
“I’m assuming they’ll make a decision this week. Fingers crossed I do get the nod,” Bird stated.
Aiming to break into the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, Bird has been off the competitive cricket for around six months, as he has a bright chance of being inducted in the squad as the 14th member.
“I haven’t played a game of cricket since the warm-up game against India A in February, so it’s been quite a while since I’ve played any competitive cricket,” Bird maintained.
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The reports suggested Bird is scheduled to join the squad announced for Bangladesh for the eight-day conditioning camp in Darwin while adding he considers himself as a fifth bowling option in the list in the national setup.
“I’d like to think that I’m the fifth fast bowler behind those four. It would have been nice to get another opportunity to push my claims for higher honours,” Bird further added.
Interestingly, after the massive breakthrough as the talks between Cricket Australia and Australia Cricketers’ Association yielded desired results which has further given a green signal for the Qantas tour owing to the signing of the ‘modernised’ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
During the long-standing impasse over the pay deal, Australia A has withdrawn from the tour of South Africa as Bird was also in the side including Chadd Sayers and Chris Tremain to give selectors a tough time with Bangladesh, Ashes series on the scale.
“It would have been nice to get another opportunity to push my claims for higher honours. Yeah it hurts, it’s always nice to be playing cricket,” Bird said on the scrapping of Australia A tour.
Australia is scheduled to play the two-day warm-up game in Fatullah between August 22 and 23, as the first Test will be played in Dhaka and second in Chittagong from September 4.