Australian squad for Indian tour announced
The Australian team that will tour India in October has been announced. There are no major surprises, but Phil Hughes made his way back to the squad, while Nathan Hauritz was deemed fit to play by the selectors.
Hughes was a part of the Australian squad in the previous Ashes in 2009. He played in a couple of Test matches, but was badly found wanting against the short ball and was replaced by Shane http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Watson-c96326.
Hughes did return to play in one Test against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 in 2010. However, his selection in the squad does not mean that he will be an automatic entry into the playing eleven, given that Watson and Simon Katich have acquitted themselves well throughout the summer.
Amongst the other players selected in the squad, Hauritz also makes a comeback after injury problems had laid him low. Leg-spinner Steven Smith seemed to be cementing his place in the squad, but with the Indians known to be good players of spin, Hauritz will still be the number-one spinner in the side.
Two fast bowlers also catch the eye. Peter George continues to be a part of the squad despite not having made his debut yet. He has played in only 18 first-class games, but is more than seven feet tall and has an action which is similar to former pace bowler, Glen McGrath.
The other quickie who could become a talking point is Josh Hazlewood, who had earlier made his ODI debut against England at Southampton. Although he conceded 41 runs off his seven overs, the selectors have definitely found something in him that allowed them to pick him for the Tests.
Australia will play two Test matches and three ODIs in the series. Earlier, the series was planned for seven ODIs, but the Indian cricket board requested the Australian cricket board to change it to three ODIs and add two Tests to the tour. The Australian cricket board acceded to the request.
The last time http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 was in India was in 2009 and they had won the ODI series 4-2. Before that, in 2008, the Indians had beaten Australia 2-0 in a Test series.
Australia has won a Test series in India only once in the last 41 years. This was when Ricky Ponting’s Australian side had beaten India 2-1 in a series in 2004. Ponting was injured for the most part of the series and the team had been led by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adam-Gilchrist-c918 then.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 at home.
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