Explosive paceman Shaun Tait is in line for his first international in five years after being named in Australia’s 17-man squad for the three-match Twenty20 series against India.
The 32-year-old, who last played for Australia at the 2011 World Cup, has shown impressive form in the country’s domestic T20 ‘Big Bash’ tournament.
“Shaun Tait returns on the basis that he is the quickest bowler going around in Australia at the moment and he offers us that explosive option if we choose to use it,” selector Rod Marsh said in a statement yesterday.
All-rounder Shane Watson was snubbed for the ongoing one-day series against India but has been named in the T20 squad for the matches in Adelaide (January 26), Melbourne (January 29) and Sydney (January 31). The matches form Australia’s last auditions for the World T20 in India, which starts in March, and off-spinner Nathan Lyon has also been given a chance to push his case.
Lyon, long overlooked for limited overs duty, joins leg spinner Cameron Boyce and spin-bowling all-rounder Glenn Maxwell among the slow bowling
options.
“Our choice of Nathan Lyon comes off the back of good form in the KFC BBL and we decided the time is right to have another look at him in the shorter forms of the game,” Marsh said.
Former T20 skipper George Bailey and Mitchell Marsh have been omitted from the Aaron Finch-captained squad.
Test skipper Steve Smith and swashbuckling batsman David Warner will only play the opening match as they prepare for the New Zealand tour starting in February. Australia also made two changes to their one-day squad for the remaining two matches against India after taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
Lyon has been named in place of paceman Joel Paris, with Warner recalled at the expense of Usman Khawaja after missing matches for the birth of his second child.
Surprised Watson eyes World T20 spot squad
Australia all-rounder Shane Watson admitted his call up to the squad for a home Twenty20 series against India has come as a “pleasant surprise” after he was overlooked for the ongoing one-day international series against the same opponents.
Since his final appearance in September, Australia have preferred Mitchell Marsh to Watson, who retired from Tests after last year’s Ashes series in England, for the all-rounder slot in the one-day team.
The 34-year-old, once the golden boy of Australian cricket, conceded that he may never be picked for the 50-over format again after he failed to earn selection for the five-match series against India that the hosts currently lead 3-0.
“It is a pleasant surprise,” Watson told reporters yesterday, indicating his form for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League had contributed to the call up.
“It came down to me really wanting to play for the Thunder and doing well for them over this BBL, and whatever happened from there with the Aussie side of things I wasn’t worrying about it at all anymore.
“After being dropped from the one-day squad, I knew that my international days were probably nearly over. So it’s nice to get that surprise and get that call from (chief selector) Rod Marsh yesterday.”
Watson’s rise to prominence after a poor start in the BBL forced selectors to take notice and he could also be in line for a spot in Australia’s squad for the World Twent20 in India, starting in March.
Watson said he worked with former South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who also plays for Thunder, made a few adjustments and has felt good about his batting again.
“It’s very nice to still be one of the old guys even though I don’t feel that old.
“Thirty four didn’t seem that old when I was playing but it is nowadays with the amount of cricket that’s being played,” added Watson, who has been
a regular feature in Indian Premier League (IPL) T20
tournament.
“That would be the goal (World T20) that’s for sure. It’s nice to know I’ve had a lot of experience over in India, playing a lot of IPL tournaments and having some success over there as well.”