Sam Konstas, Campbell Kellaway and Kurtis Patterson have been named in the Cricket Australia XI squad set to face Bangladesh in a three-day tour match in Darwin next month, ahead of the opening Test of the series. The fixture serves as a warm-up before the first Test begins on August 13, and the squad selection points to how selectors view several fringe players heading into the summer.
Western Australia offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli has also been included, with selectors keeping an eye on his prospects for the Australia A and Test tours of India scheduled for September and January. Two wicketkeeper-batters, Josh Philippe and Jake Doran, round out a squad that otherwise leans on a young pace attack. Former Australia coach and current Under-19s mentor Tim Nielsen will coach the side.
Konstas and Kellaway Eye Test Opening Roles
Konstas, 20, has played five Tests for Australia but has not featured in the Test squad since a difficult tour of the Caribbean last winter. He scored 660 runs at an average of 33 in last season’s Sheffield Shield, with one century and two half-centuries. He finished fifth on the competition’s run-scoring list, behind three other opening batters in Sam Harper, Cameron Bancroft and Henry Hunt.
Kellaway, 23, also scored one century and two fifties last season, though his overall average of 26.78 for the summer was lower than Konstas’s. Despite modest first-class numbers individually, the pair have built a reputation as an opening partnership. They batted together in two matches for Australia A in India last year, putting on stands of 198 and 56 unbroken in the first unofficial Test against India A in Lucknow. Selectors continue to view them as long-term options at the top of the order.
Patterson’s Form Keeps Him in Contention
Kurtis Patterson’s recent record has kept him in national selection conversations despite a stretch of difficult form in Shield cricket earlier in his career. His last Test innings, an unbeaten century against Sri Lanka in 2019, remains his most recent international appearance.
Over the past two seasons, Patterson has averaged 48 across 23 first-class matches, scoring four centuries, including one for Australia A against the England Lions. At 33, he is still regarded by selectors as a possible option for Australia’s middle order.
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Rocchiccioli’s Wicket-Taking Record Stands Out
Rocchiccioli has taken more wickets than any other spinner in Australian domestic cricket over the last five seasons, finishing with 151 wickets at an average of 29.16. Only South Australia seamer Nathan McAndrew has taken more wickets in that period across all bowling types. Rocchiccioli remains behind Cricket Australia-contracted spinners Todd Murphy and Matt Kuhnemann in the pecking order for Test selection, but he has represented Australia A on multiple tours, including last year’s trip to India.
Separately, Cricket Australia has named 12 development players, including South Australia batter Jason Sangha and T20I player Joel Davies, for the annual MRF Academy Program in Chennai. Former Australia captain Tim Paine will mentor the group, which also includes legspinner Lloyd Pope, former Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Hugh Weibgen and current Under-19 batter Steven Hogan.
Cricket Australia XI vs Bangladesh
Campbell Kellaway, Campbell Thompson, Corey Rocchiccioli, Hanno Jacobs, Jake Doran, Jerrssis Wadia, Josh Philippe, Kurtis Patterson, Sam Konstas, Teague Wyllie, Tom Menzies, Tom Rogers, Xavier Crone, Noah McFadyen
CA MRF Academy Development Squad
Aryan Sharma, Doug Warren, Hugh Weibgen, Jack Sinfield, Jason Sangha, Jayden Goodwin, Joel Davies, Lloyd Pope, Matt Gilkes, Rafael MacMillan, Riley Kingsell, Steven Hogan
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