Australia A Names Squads for 2025 India Tour: Konstas, Fraser-McGurk Headline Young Talent
The Cricket Australia board has announced a 14-player squad for two four-day matches against India A in Lucknow this September, kicking off Sam Konstas campaign to secure his Test spot this summer. The squad, chosen with an eye on Australia's 2027 Test tour rather than the upcoming Ashes features Konstas fellow Test opening candidate Nathan McSweeney and young talent Oliver Peake. Victoria's promising opener Campbell Kellaway also makes the batting group. However, players like Jake Weatherald, Jason Sangha, and Kurtis Patterson performed well in the recent Australia A series against Sri Lanka A, have not been included.
Australian openers with past Test experience, like Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft and Matt Renshaw, were left out of the squad. Renshaw has toured India twice before, while Bancroft made 150 in an unofficial Test against India A in Chennai in 2015. However, performances in India A matches this September won’t affect Ashes selection, as selectors have stated that the first three rounds of the Sheffield Shield will be more important. The squad seems focused on giving younger players experience in India, ahead of Australia’s five-match Test series there in 2027. By then, the team’s top six could look different with Usman Khawaja likely retired and Steven Smith turning 38.
"The subcontinent provides many unique challenges and the opportunity to utilise different skills with bat and bal. We hope repeated experiences in these conditions will assist players in developing an effective method and understanding of their game for future sub-continent toursl," chairman of selectors George Bailey said.
Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli Make Their Mark in Australia A Squad for Upcoming Tour
Todd Murphy, the Test offspinner who impressed with 14 wickets in four Tests in India in 2023, including a stunning seven-wicket haul on debut in Nagpur, made his way into the squad. Corey Rocchiccioli, another offspinner who had a stint at the MRF Academy and played for Australia A, is also getting a chance to shine. Both Murphy and Rocchiccioli missed the Sri Lanka A series due to their commitments in county cricket in England. Left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly, who made his Test debut in Sri Lanka earlier this year, is set to gain more valuable experience in the subcontinent. Meanwhile, seam-bowling allrounders Aaron Hardie, Liam Scott, and Jack Edwards, with Edwards making his debut for Australia A, have also been included in the mix.
CA contracted fast bowlers Lance Morris and Xavier Bartlett along with the Shield's leading wicket-taker Fergus O'Neill, were selected. Josh Philippe was included as the only wicketkeeper in the four-day squad. Connolly, Murphy, Hardie, Edwards and Scott will stay on for the three 50-over matches, but Bartlett, Kellaway, Konstas, McSweeney, Morris, O'Neill, Peake, Philippe and Rocchiccioli will only play in the four-day matches in Lucknow before returning to Australia for the first Shield round starting October 4.
Fraser-McGurk, who lost his spot in Australia’s ODI squad, was included and might get the chance to keep wicket for the first time in his List A career, with Shaw being the only other wicketkeeper in the white-ball squad. He’s being developed as a backup keeper for the T20I team, having worked on his skills with Australia’s fielding/keeping coach Andre Borovec during recent tours. Captains haven't been named yet, but there are several options with state captains McSweeney, Edwards, and Sutherland set to tour, while Hardie has also led Australia A in a first-class game and captained Perth Scorchers.
Squad:
Australia A four-day squad: Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Aaron Hardie, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Lance Morris, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam Scott
Australia A one-day squad: Cooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Mackenzie Harvey, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Callum Vidler
Australia A Tour of India 2025/26: Full Schedule
| Date | Match | Teams | Venue | Time (Local) | Time (GMT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, 16 Sep '25 | 1st Unofficial Test | India A vs Australia A | Lucknow | 9:00 AM | 3:30 AM |
| Tue, 23 Sep '25 | 2nd Unofficial Test | India A vs Australia A | Lucknow | 9:00 AM | 3:30 AM |
| Tue, 30 Sep '25 | 1st Unofficial ODI | India A vs Australia A | Kanpur | 9:00 AM | 3:30 AM |
| Fri, 03 Oct '25 | 2nd Unofficial ODI | India A vs Australia A | Kanpur | 9:00 AM | 3:30 AM |
| Sun, 05 Oct '25 | 3rd Unofficial ODI | India A vs Australia A | Kanpur | 9:00 AM | 3:30 AM |
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