Opening batsman Jake Weatherald has retained his place in Australia's 13-man Test squad for the upcoming home series against Bangladesh, despite a modest Ashes campaign last summer. The squad is strengthened by the return of captain Pat Cummins, paceman Josh Hazlewood, and spinner Nathan Lyon from injury.
Weatherald retains opening role
Weatherald will continue his opening partnership with Travis Head after playing all five Tests against England, where he scored 201 runs at an average of 22.33. Australia's chair of selectors, George Bailey, expressed confidence in the combination. "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," 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."
Key players return from injury
Cummins has played only one Test since last July due to stress fractures in his back. He returned for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide, where Lyon suffered a severe hamstring tear requiring surgery. Hazlewood missed the Ashes series from December due to 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 added.
Squad changes and upcoming schedule
Missing from the final Ashes Test squad are Usman Khawaja (retired), Michael Neser, Todd Murphy, and Brendan Doggett. The Australians will host Bangladesh in Darwin from August 13-17 and Mackay from August 22-26 as part of the Test World Championship. This series marks the start of a gruelling schedule of 21 Tests in 12 months, including away series against South Africa, India, and England. The Bangladesh series will be followed by white-ball matches against England in November and December.
Steve Smith remains a series-by-series proposition, but Bailey noted: "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 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.
