Cameron Green and Sam Konstas have been named in Australia’s squad for the World Test Championship final and Test tour of the West Indies.
On Tuesday afternoon, Cricket Australia unveiled a 15-player squad for the four-Test winter campaign, with uncapped seamer Brendan Doggett chosen as a travelling reserve.
Captain Pat Cummins and pace bowler Josh Hazlewood return from injury, as does Green, while spinner Matthew Kuhnemann was included following his controversial bowling action probe.
The World Test Championship final between Australia and South Africa gets underway at Lord’s on June 11, with Australian coach Andrew McDonald and skipper Pat Cummins tasked with choosing a squad to defend the title they won two years ago.
The make-up of the Australian XI for the WTC final is likely to differ to that selected for the West Indies, with selectors trying to find a balance between the needs of the present and the future.
There has been speculation Marnus Labuschagne will be promoted to open and Green will return to the Test team at No.3 for the Test against South Africa in London, but Australian selector George Bailey said it was too early to lock a squad in.
“I think there are still a few moving parts in terms of guys playing and where some of the other players — Cameron Green is returning as well — as to where he works up into the line-up, and Josh Inglish has performed really well, so I think with the squad, Pat (Cummins) and Andrew (McDonald) will have plenty of options as to where we go,” Bailey said.
“But we have been really strong in trying to delineate between the World Test Championship final and then separate out the West Indies, which will a slightly different look.
“I’m not trying to be cryptic about it, that we’re sitting on the 11 and we know it means but we’re not announcing it. I just think there is quite a bit to work through.
“The match is another month away. There’s still guys playing in India. There’s guys in England playing. There’s obviously some guys starting in preparation here too. So we’ll just work through that in the due course.”
Bailey said that Konstas, who toured Sri Lanka in February but did not bat, will benefit from being around the Australian squad regardless of whether he opens in the WTC final or in the West Indies.
“It is pretty clear he is not the finished product and he is on a journey. He is a highly talented player. All those things have been said about him,” Bailey said.
“He is a quick learner and he is really keen to learn and he has an amazing ability to adapt and change the way he plays, so any opportunity that he does get around the team, whether that is in the XI or around the squad, I think he is going to benefit from that.”
WINNERS
Cameron Green
Green’s career was stalled by a back injury that required surgery and ruled him out of the recent home summer, but national selectors haven’t hesitated in rushing him back into the Test squad.
The West Australian had cemented his spot in the middle order following last year’s career-best century against New Zealand in Wellington before the injury setback threatened to derail his Test career.
However, despite only being available for selection as a specialist batter, Green looks poised to make his long-awaited Test return at Lord’s next month.
Last month, the right-hander cracked a century on debut for Gloucestershire in the County Championship, although he has since posted four straight single-figure scores.
“I think it’s great that he is playing. I think that it is fantastic that he is back and he has returned well,” Bailey said.
“As much fantastic to see him get some runs, but I think also just his ability to back up innings to innings and match the match — I think he booked up pretty sore after that first innings back after not playing for a little while — so he’ll get better and better as he does that.
“We know he’s a quality player. We know he is proven at that level, so whether and how many runs he gets, that is not necessarily as much as a concern (as) getting some match play under his belt.”
When it comes to Green bowling, Bailey said the plan was to build more steadily towards the Ashes series at home next summer.
“I think we’ve been pretty clear. I think we’ll sort of slowly load that up with a view that that will probably come online around the Ashes here,” he said.
Cameron Green of Australia. Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
Matthew Kuhnemann
It’s been a whirlwind four months for Matthew Kuhnemann, but the left-armed spinner has emerged from the chaos as Australia’s second-choice tweaker.
After finishing the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka as the leading wicket-taker with 16 scalps at 17.18, the Tasmanian underwent independent testing on his bowling having been cited for a suspect action.
He was later cleared and passed with flying colours, also earning a national contract at the expense of Victorian tweaker Todd Murphy.
Although Australia probably won’t need two strike spinners for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, Kuhnemann could slide into the starting XI during the West Indies tour pending conditions and team balance.
“(It is) not necessarily trying to put it in a pecking order but I think Matt was really impressive in Sri Lanka and he was rewarded with a contract as well,” Bailey said.
“I guess (he has) the ability if the conditions, particularly in the West Indies where you can get some really strong spinning conditions, that it may be conducive to playing the two spinners. One winning it both ways is nice to have.”
Brendan Doggett
Doggett was the only uncapped player in the Australian Test squad, putting him within touching distance of a coveted baggy green.
Having previously earned a Test call-up in 2018, the 31-year-old seamer put himself back in the national conversation by taking 6-15 for Australia A against India A in Mackay last November.
He then helped South Australia claim a drought-breaking Sheffield Shield title, snaring 33 wickets at 24.15 during the triumphant campaign and was named player of the final against Queensland in Adelaide.
Doggett was only named as a travelling reserve, but he could be added to the Test squad if Josh Hazlewood is ruled out of any matches due to his reported shoulder injury.
“I think he took six for in the Australia A game very early on in the season,” Bailey said.
“We were waiting for him to get some continuity and get over a few injury niggles and then play some really consistent cricket. He was in and amongst the Test squad over the summer, which was good.
“So I think you can throw Shaun Abbott, who’s on standby for this squad as well, I think you can throw a handful of those guys who, depending on the conditions and opposition and who they might be replacing, could all do a really good job.”
LOSERS
Marcus Harris
Harris’ impeccable County Championship form wasn’t enough to squeeze his way into Australia’s Test squad.
The Victorian, who made his most recent Test appearance in 2022, is currently the leading run-scorer of the County Championship with 749 runs at 83.22 — 138 runs clear of his nearest rival — including three hundreds and three fifties in ten knocks.
He also featured in Australia’s squad for the previous World Test Championship final against India in 2023, serving as an understudy for veteran opener David Warner.
However, the left-hander hasn’t done enough to convince national selectors he deserves a long-awaited Test recall, with teenager Sam Konstas getting the nod instead.
Todd Murphy
The writing was on the wall following last month’s national contract announcement, but Murphy has officially lost his mantle as Nathan Lyon’s heir apparent.
The Victorian served as Lyon’s partner in crime during 2023 Test tours of India and England, taking 21 wickets at 25.42 in a promising start to his international career.
However, after being outclassed by Matthew Kuhnemann during the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka, Murphy has seemingly slipped down the pecking order.
Bailey said that Murphy and Western Australian Corey Rocchiccioli will continue to press and remain in the selectors considerations, with Kuhnemann preferred for the next tour given his ability to spin the ball the other way from Lyon.
“Those two, I think, will compete really hard,” Bailey said.
“Todd continues to develop, as does Corey, so it is nice to have them.”
Michael Neser
The forgotten man of Australian cricket, Neser may have missed his last chance to add to his two Test caps.
Despite impeccable form at domestic level over the past decade, the Queenslander has spent most of his international career carrying the drinks due to Australia’s plethora of pace options.
With former Queensland teammate Brendan Doggett getting a call-up for the winter tour and the likes of Xavier Bartlett, Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson waiting in the wings, the 35-year-old Neser may not get another Australian call-up.
But Bailey did namecheck Neser, who was training in Brisbane during the Australian chairman of selector’s press conference on Tuesday afternoon, as a cricketer alongside Abbott and Doggett who could be called on in the right circumstances.
“Nes is always in the mix. He is building up on the back of a couple of injuries last season,” Bailey said.
“But when he is back playing, he is always impressive and will be thereabouts. We have some guys playing really good cricket in England at the moment, so there will be some guys who are not coming on the tour with us, but are here preparing now.”
Nathan McSweeney
Despite being in Australia’s Test starting XI just six months ago, McSweeney has missed selection for the World Test Championship final touring party.
Shoehorned as an opener for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign, the South Australian was dropped in favour of teenager Sam Konstas ahead of the MCG Boxing Day Test.
He earned a recall for the recent Test tour of Sri Lanka as a reserve batter, but Josh Inglis’ Galle century on debut has pushed McSweeney down the pecking order.
However, McSweeney would be among the candidates to take over the No. 4 spot whenever Steve Smith decides to hang up the boots.
