Handscomb’s Australia A Recall Signals Test Ambitions for India Tour

Peter Handscomb’s inclusion in the Australia A squad for the upcoming four-day matches against India A is the clearest indication yet that the veteran batter remains firmly in selectors’ plans for next year’s Border-Gavaskar Test series.

Handscomb, 35, played the last of his 20 Tests on Australia’s previous tour of India in 2023. Despite being overlooked since, he has maintained his status as one of the most consistent domestic performers in a bowler-dominated era. He topped the Sheffield Shield run-scoring charts last season with 724 runs at 34.47 and is widely regarded as an excellent player of spin, though he has been keen in recent seasons to avoid being pigeon-holed to specific conditions.

The Australia A squad, announced on Tuesday, blends youth with experience. Nathan McSweeney and Sam Konstas, both considered potential Test recalls in the near future, feature in both the four-day and one-day squads. Victoria left-hander Campbell Kellaway is part of the red-ball group, while McSweeney’s inclusion in the 50-over portion suggests he is not currently in line for an imminent Test return.

Weatherald Absent as Selectors Take Patient Approach

A significant omission from the A squad is Jake Weatherald, who lost his Test place during the recent Bangladesh series. Chair of selectors George Bailey explained that the decision was made to allow Weatherald time to embed technical changes introduced over the winter.

“Think you’ve just got to respect that sometimes they [changes] can be quick and you can make that adjustment seamlessly, and sometimes that’s a real challenge,” Bailey said. “So we’ve been really clear with Jake. It’s certainly not the end of the road for him. At his best the style of cricket, the way he plays, there’s a lot to like about that, but just wanting to create some space and opportunity for him to continue to embed that into his game.”

Bailey confirmed that Weatherald was discussed for the India A trip, but the selectors opted to grant him more time to bridge the gap between training and performance. “But he’ll get plenty of opportunities,” he added.

Spin Options and Pace Depth

With an eye on next year’s Test series, Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli have been named as the frontline spinners for the four-day matches. Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann, who will likely be part of the India Test tour, has not been included in any of the Australia A or ODI squads.

Jhye Richardson and Brendan Doggett, both of whom featured in last season’s Ashes, are part of the four-day squad. Western Australia quick Mahli Beardman, who made his T20I debut against Pakistan in January before being diagnosed with a stress fracture of his back, has been selected for the one-day squad.

Victoria wicketkeeper Sam Harper earned his place after an impressive Sheffield Shield campaign, where he made a significant impact after being promoted to open the batting. He has since enjoyed a productive off-season in franchise cricket but is not part of the one-day squad.

Some players who might ordinarily have featured in an Australia A squad, including Cooper Connolly and Ollie Peake, will instead be part of the ODI series in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Those selected for the one-day portion of the India A tour will miss the opening round of the Sheffield Shield.

Australia A one-day squad vs India A-

Mahli Beardman, Nikhil Chaudhary, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachlan Shaw

The two four-day matches will be played in Puducherry from September 22 to 25 and September 29 to October 2, followed by three one-day fixtures on October 6, 9 and 11.

                                               

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