Australia A squad for India: Australia Preparing for 2027 in Full Mode
Australia A Squad Named for India Tour: Building Blocks for 2027
Cricket Australia’s selectors have looked well beyond this summer’s home Ashes when picking a 14-man Australia A party for two four-day games against India A in Lucknow next month. The touring group – sprinkled with teenagers, two specialist off-spinners and three seam-bowling all-rounders – is clearly designed to give tomorrow’s Test XI an early taste of sub-continent conditions ahead of the five-match series in India scheduled for January-February 2027.
Why This Tour Matters
Sub-continent rehearsal – Chairman of selectors George Bailey stressed that “repeated experiences” in India should help players craft reliable methods for 2027.
Skill-set matching pitches – Two off-spinners (Todd Murphy, Corey Rocchiccioli) and a left-arm spinning all-rounder (Cooper Connolly) headline the bowling group.
Youth focus – Five members are 22 or younger, with 18-year-old Oliver Peake the youngest.
Key Selections & Omissions
In the Squad (Age) | Role | Talking Point |
|---|---|---|
Sam Konstas (21) | Opener | Five-Test rookie auditions for long-term role after Usman Khawaja era. |
Nathan McSweeney (26) | Top order | Queensland leader gets first India tour. |
Oliver Peake (18) | Middle order | Victoria prodigy fast-tracked after U-19 success. |
Todd Murphy (24) | Off-spin | 14 Test wickets in India 2023; now senior spinner. |
Corey Rocchiccioli (25) | Off-spin | Strong Shield form plus MRF Academy stint. |
Cooper Connolly (22) | Batting all-rounder (SLA) | Made Test debut in Sri Lanka; gains further SC exposure. |
Notably missing are seasoned openers Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, Matt Renshaw and Jake Weatherald, along with in-form middle-order men Jason Sangha and Kurtis Patterson. Selectors have already signalled that early Sheffield Shield performances, not this India A tour, will weigh heaviest on 2025-26 Ashes spots.
Bowling Mix Geared for Indian Surfaces
Type | Players | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
High-pace | Lance Morris, Xavier Bartlett | Break open flat decks with speed. |
Swing-seam | Fergus O’Neill | Shield’s leading wicket-taker adds control. |
Spin | Murphy, Rocchiccioli (off-spin); Connolly (SLA) | Replicate likely Nagpur/Ahmedabad conditions. |
Seam-all-round | Hardie, Scott, Edwards | Extra bowling depth without sacrificing batting. |
Schedule Snapshot
Match | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
1st four-day (unofficial Test) | 3–6 Sep | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
2nd four-day | 10–13 Sep | Ekana Stadium, Lucknow |
3 × List A games* | 18, 20, 22 Sep | Green Park, Kanpur |
*White-ball squad differs; Connolly, Murphy, Hardie, Edwards and Scott stay on, joined by nine fresh faces including Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tanveer Sangha.
Selection Philosophy in Bailey’s Words
Long view – “We hope repeated experiences in these conditions will assist players… for future sub-continent tours.”
Balancing priorities – Red-ball development overseas, but key Shield players return home by 4 October to start the domestic season on time.
Versatility – Many tourists (Connolly, Hardie, Edwards) are multi-format prospects, keeping pathways open across formats.
What to Watch
Konstas vs McSweeney: early audition to partner Travis Head long-term.
Murphy leadership: first tour as clear No.1 spinner; watch his partnership with Rocchiccioli.
Peake & Kellaway: how teenage technique holds up against India A’s seasoned spin.
All-round depth test: Hardie, Scott and Edwards juggling heavy bowling loads while pushing batting claims.
Likely XIs (1st four-day)
Australia A
1 Konstas, 2 Kellaway, 3 McSweeney, 4 Peake, 5 Connolly, 6 Hardie, 7 Philippe (wk), 8 Edwards/Scott, 9 Murphy, 10 Morris/Bartlett, 11 Rocchiccioli/O’Neill.
India A (probables)
Abhimanyu Easwaran, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Pradosh Paul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Prasidh Krishna, Saurabh Kumar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.
Big Picture
Australia’s senior side has not won a Test series in India since 2004. This selection—light on experience, heavy on promise—signals a strategic shift: give the next generation three-plus years of sub-continent homework rather than a crash course on the eve of 2027. If the plan pays off, the names on this tour sheet could form Australia’s core when they return for the main exam.