Pucovski’s shock test call-up
Victorian talent Will Pucovski is a shock inclusion in Australia’s test squad for the two-match series against Sri Lanka in a shake-up that includes the axing of brothers Shaun and Mitchell Marsh as well as Aaron Finch and Peter Handscomb.
Cricket Australia confirmed yesterday that Pucovski, 20, had been included in a 13-man squad and the Marshes had been dropped.
Pucovski, one of the brightest batting talents in the country, has only played eight first-class matches but made a strong impression in that time, most notably by scoring 243 against Western Australia in Perth in October. His burgeoning career has been interrupted by a series of worrying head knocks and he has only recently returned from a break from the game that he took to deal with mental health-related illness. At a glance
National selector Trevor Hohns said: ‘‘Will Pucovski is an exciting young player who is making his mark in the Sheffield Shield.
‘‘He is another player with a track record of making centuries. We look forward to him joining the squad and congratulate him on his first national call-up,’’ Hohn said.
Queensland batsmen Joe Burns and Matthew Renshaw are the other new names in a squad that will assemble in Brisbane late next week ahead of the first test against Sri Lanka on January 24 at the Gabba.
Australia’s three-man selection panel has decided enough is enough for the Marsh brothers, who have both been omitted from the squad despite being involved during the India series. Shaun Marsh’s seven-year test career looks to be all but over.
Finch, who did not feature in the final SCG test, and Handscomb, who scored 37 in his most recent test innings last week, were also overlooked in a sign that selectors want to go in a different direction.
‘‘Ultimately Aaron, Peter, Shaun and Mitch have not produced the performances expected of them with the bat at the test level,’’ Hohns said. ‘‘They have been given good opportunity but have not produced the scores we need.’’
Burns has chalked up 472 runs at 47.2 in this year’s Sheffield Shield season, and while Renshaw’s numbers are not as favourable (199 runs at 19.9), Hohns said he had been picked with an eye to the Ashes later this year.
Australia’s batting is under the pump after a deflating performance in the four-test series against India in which no player scored a hundred, with the hosts arguably flattered by a 2-1 series defeat that was completed when rain forced a draw in Sydney.
Pucovski will also feature in the Cricket Australia XI squad to face Sri Lanka in a tour match in Hobart next week. He and four other players have been included in both the Australian and CA XI squads.
Australia test squad: Tim Paine (c), Josh Hazlewood, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Will Pucovksi, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle.