Australia Focuses on Test Prep as T20 Squad Announced

Australia's T20 captain and test players skip the T20 series against Pakistan to focus on the upcoming test against India. Selectors prioritize test preparation, with some T20 players like Maxwell and Inglis missing out on potential test call-ups. New T20 squad announced, awaiting captaincy decision.

Australia's Twenty20 captain Mitchell Marsh and his test teammates have chosen to skip the upcoming series against Pakistan to concentrate on a crucial test match against India. As of Monday's announcement, none of Australia's test regulars were selected for the Brisbane, Sydney, and Hobart games, highlighting their focus on the Nov. 22 test in Perth.

Despite the omission, Cricket Australia suggested some T20 players might join the test squad post the final T20 at Bellerive Oval on Nov. 18. However, chief selector George Bailey emphasized this would only happen if injuries arose. "Our priority is the test summer preparation," Bailey clarified.

Test hopes for Josh Inglis and Glenn Maxwell, potential replacements for Cameron Green, have dimmed, as Steve Smith fills Green's position. Though selectors acknowledged Inglis's current form, they ruled him out as a test opener. Meanwhile, the T20 squad welcomes seamers Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, and Spencer Johnson, who recover from recent injuries. The team's captaincy will be declared before the series starts at the Gabba on Nov. 14.

(With inputs from agencies.)