MELBOURNE: Highly-touted all-rounder Cameron Green has been selected in Australia’s One-day International and Twenty20 International squads for the upcoming series against India, while Moises Henriques earned a recall.

The 21-year-old Green averages 52.23 with the bat and 21.53 with the ball from 17 first-class matches for Western Australia, and former Test captain Greg Chappell has described him as the best young batter since Ricky Ponting.

Green was unable to bowl last season because of stress fractures in his back. But in his most recent Sheffield Shield domestic first-class match, Green scored 197 against New South Wales.

Australia will play three One-day Internationals and three T20s against India, with the first ODI on Nov 27 in Sydney. The teams will then play a four-Test series, starting with a day-night match in Adelaide.

“Cameron’s domestic form has been outstanding and he has carried it through for Western Australia this summer,” Australia selector Trevor Hohns said. “As a potential player of the future, this is an opportunity for him to be part of the squad and build on his experience.”

Australia’s return to international cricket following the Covid-19 lockdown included a T20 and ODI series in England in August and September. It culminated with Australia beating World Cup champions England in the ODI series.

Green will add to the depth of the squad.

Chappell told SEN radio” “Green is the best young batting talent I’ve seen since Ricky Ponting,” comparing the young all-rounder with Australia’s leading all-time scorer in Test cricket. “This kid can play — he’s a serious talent. He’s got something special in that he’s 6-foot-7 tall we haven’t seen anyone of that size dominate from a batting point of view.”

Henriques was also a head-turner, brought in as an all-rounder to replace Mitchell Marsh, who picked up an ankle injury in the Indian Premier League.

He played his last one-dayer and T20 for Australia in 2017, but was prolific last season for the Sydney Sixers as they won the Big Bash League.

“Moises is a tremendous cricketer with loads of experience and is a great person to have around the group,” said Hohns. “His form was extremely impressive in leading the Sixers to the BBL title last summer and he has played well at the start of this season.”

Spinner Nathan Lyon is a high-profile omission from the big touring party Australia took to England in September.

Adam Zampa was preferred, with Lyon being saved for Australia’s four Test series against India that follows the white-ball games. The Test squad is yet to be announced.

“The entire squad performed exceptionally well in the UK in beating the current one-day world champions at home and retaining the world number one ranking in T20 international cricket,” said Hohns. “We look forward to a blockbuster summer against one of our greatest rivals.”

Uncapped all-rounder Daniel Sams has been retained in the white-ball squad that toured England, but Tasmania paceman Riley Meredith has been omitted.

Squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2020