Melbourne [Australia], January 27 (ANI): Matthew Wade was on Wednesday left out of Australia’s Test squad for the South Africa tour while Tim Paine received strong support to continue as captain.
Wade will instead tour New Zealand for the T20I series as Australia will lock horns both with the Kiwis and South Africa in February and March. The Australian T20I squad will be captained by Aaron Finch and coached by Andrew McDonald.
Tanveer Sangha, the 19-year-old legspinner, who has been in fine form in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL) for Sydney Thunder, was also picked in the T20Is squad.
Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed that the Australian men’s T20I squad to tour New Zealand will not change irrespective of the outcome of discussions between Cricket South Africa and CA regarding the Australian men’s Test tour of South Africa.
“In a World Cup year, it is exciting to select a squad that combines some of the biggest names in international T20 cricket with the best emerging players in the country,” said National Selector Trevor Hohns.
“Adam Zampa has developed into one of the best spinners in international white-ball cricket and we have been most impressed by Tanveer Sangha, who has been brilliant throughout the pathways and with the Sydney Thunder this season,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Australian Test squad would be captained by Paine and coached by Justin Langer. CA has previously stated its intention to complete the three-Test tour of South Africa, which forms part of the Future Tours Program and the World Test Championship. The tour is subject to final sign-off between the CSA and CA boards.
“The squad is quite similar to that selected for the final two Tests of the recently-completed Border-Gavaskar series, with the exception of Matt Wade, who will join the Australian men’s T20I squad in New Zealand, and the addition of Alex Carey, who has been in strong form with both bat and gloves,” said Hohns.
“Tim Paine was excellent at No.7 against India and as a batsman, wicketkeeper and captain still has much to offer in the Test arena,” he added
Ben Oliver, Cricket Australia’s Executive General Manager, National Teams said he looked forward to Paine once again leading Australia in the Test arena.
“Tim Paine has been an outstanding captain since taking over the Australian men’s Test team in incredibly difficult circumstances,” Oliver said.
“Tim is in career-best form with the bat and, while the series against India was not his best with the gloves by his own admission, he remains in the top echelon of wicketkeepers globally,” he further said.
“And as a leader, he has been brilliant. To captain a squad through the many challenges presented by the pandemic – not least the unique pressures of hub life – is no easy task and Tim did that with strength, humility and good humour,” Oliver added.
T20I squad Aaron Finch (capt), Matthew Wade (vc), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Tanveer Sangha, D’Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa
Test squad Tim Paine (capt), Pat Cummins (vc), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner (ANI)
