Opening batter Jake Weatherald has kept his place in Australia’s men’s Test squad for the upcoming series against Bangladesh. Captain Pat Cummins, paceman Josh Hazlewood and spinner Nathan Lyon have also returned after injury for the start of Australia’s demanding run of 21 Tests in 12 months.
When and where will Australia play Bangladesh?
The Australians host Bangladesh in Darwin from August 13-17 and in Mackay from August 22-26 as part of the Test World Championship. Darwin will stage the first Test on 13 August, with the second match following in Mackay.
Who has been included and who is missing?
Weatherald is among the 13 players named in the squad, while the group from the final Ashes Test against England last January has changed in several places. Missing from that squad are Usman Khawaja, who has retired, along with Michael Neser, Todd Murphy and Brendan Doggett.
Weatherald will continue his opening partnership with Travis Head after playing all five Tests against England last summer. In that series, the Darwin-born left-hander scored 201 runs at an average of 22.33.
“There were moments in that Ashes series where we liked the combination of what Jake and Travis were able to bring and what that looked like as a collective,” Australia’s chair of selectors, George Bailey, said on Tuesday.
“And then also individually what Jake at his best looked like within that series. Hopefully we do see some growth out of that and some understanding of what it takes for success at Test level.”
Cummins has played only one Test since July last year because of stress fractures in his back. He returned for the third Test against England in Adelaide, when Lyon suffered a severe hamstring tear that required surgery.
Hazlewood was ruled out of the Ashes series in December because of hamstring and Achilles injuries.
“There has been some adjustments to both his training and some of his physical prep to try and alleviate some of those setbacks he has had,” Bailey said.
Bailey also said Steve Smith’s attitude had been notable as Australia prepare for a busy stretch of Test cricket. Smith has repeatedly said he is a series-by-series proposition.
“I don’t think I have seen him as excited or invigorated around the opportunities and challenges this Test team have over the next period of time.
“He’s probably not on his lonesome there. For those guys that have played a lot of Test cricket … there’s some really big, key series and a chance, I think, for this team to really lay down a marker across a number of different conditions as well.”
Australia’s Test program also includes away series against South Africa, India and England. The Bangladesh series will be followed by a one-day and T20 series against England in November and December.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster
