Australian selectors wield axe

The Australian cricket selectors have made significant changes for the coming series against Sri Lanka.

Twenty-year-old Victorian batsman Will Pucovski is in line for a shock international debut. He rocketed into contention when he plundered 243 against Western Australia in October — his second first class ton — but then took six weeks off from cricket for mental health reasons.

He returned for one last Sheffield Shield game before Christmas where he compiled a second innings 67, reports news.com.au.

After making his first class debut in 2017 the classy right-hander has scored 588 runs in eight matches at an average of 49.

Joe Burns has also won a recall for

the two-test series. Burns — who played the last of his 14 tests in Johannesburg this year when he was parachuted into the team after the ball-tampering scandal — is averaging above 47 in the Sheffield Shield this season on the back of a strong 2017-18 campaign.

He already has three test tons and calls grew louder for him to be given another chance opening the batting when the experiment of Aaron Finch at the top of the order failed.

After losing his place ahead of last summer’s Ashes, Queenslander Matthew Renshaw was left out of both tests against Pakistan in the UAE earlier this year but despite his modest form in the whites for his state this season, the left-hander has been given a lifeline.

Renshaw has one century and three 50s in 11 tests.

It’s unlikely Renshaw and Burns will open together against Sri Lanka because although he failed to reach triple figures, test newcomer Marcus Harris impressed against India and has been retained.

Both Marsh brothers — Mitch and Shaun — have been overlooked. Mitch played just one test against India at the MCG and while he provided good support with the ball, he managed scores of nine and 10 in his two innings. Shaun’s only half century of the series came in Adelaide and he has reached 50 just once in his past 10 tests.