How the Tests impact your Big Bash club

Confirmation Australia will have an unchanged 13-man squad for the remaining two Domain Tests against India has made the KFC BBL picture clearer.

Most of Australia’s Test players are set to be unavailable until the new year, with Brisbane Heat the only club unaffected by international selection.

The seven other franchises will be missing key players in the early stages of the tournament, with those selected in Australia’s XI for both the Melbourne and Sydney Tests to be unavailable until at least January 8.

And with Australia’s Gillette ODI Series against India to begin on January 12, and Tests against Sri Lanka starting on January 24, multi-format international players could be out of BBL action for some time.

Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers) and Peter Siddle (Adelaide Strikers) have been made available for their respective teams this week after being left out of the XI for the first two Tests against India, but the remaining members of the Test squad will sit out the opening games and recharge ahead of the Boxing Day Test.

A similar decision may be made during the Melbourne and Sydney Tests; those in the Test squad that are not named in the XI for either Test could be released to their respective BBL clubs, but a decision on that will be made once the Tests are underway.

Here’s a club-by-club breakdown of how your club is likely to be affected by Test selection over the coming weeks, barring exceptional circumstances.

Adelaide Strikers

Next match: v Melbourne Renegades, Adelaide Oval, Sun Dec 23

Regular skipper Travis Head is set to miss at least the Strikers’ opening six matches of the tournament because of Test duty, with the Sydney Test set to conclude on January 7. And with the first ODI in Sydney on January 12, less than 24 hours after the Strikers’ match with the Stars in Adelaide, the skipper is unlikely to return to the BBL anytime soon. Experienced paceman Peter Siddle played in the season opener on Wednesday night but will return to the Test squad this week and miss the match against the Renegades on Sunday. If Australia opt to field an unchanged XI for the Boxing Day Test, Siddle could be released and made available for the New Year’s Eve fixture against Sydney Thunder.

Squad: Wes Agar, Alex Carey, Michael Cormack, David Grant, Travis Head, Colin Ingram (SA), Rashid Khan (AFG), Ben Laughlin, Jake Lehmann, Michael Neser, Liam O'Connor, Peter Siddle, Matt Short, Billy Stanlake, Cameron Valente, Jake Weatherald, Jon Wells, Nick Winter

Brisbane Heat

Next match: v Hobart Hurricanes, Metricon Stadium, Sat Dec 22

The Heat are not affected by international duty after Joe Burns and Matthew Renshaw were both overlooked for the squad for the remaining two Domain Tests against India.

Squad: Max Bryant, Joe Burns, Ben Cutting, Brendan Doggett, Sam Heazlett, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Lalor, Chris Lynn, Brendon McCullum (NZ), James Pattinson, James Peirson, Jack Prestwidge, Matt Renshaw, Alex Ross, Mujeeb Ur Rahman (AFG), Mark Steketee, Mitch Swepson

Hobart Hurricanes

Next match: v Brisbane Heat, Gabba, Sat Dec 22

The Hurricanes boast a strong squad after qualifying for last season’s final, but they are set to be without Australia’s Test skipper Tim Paine until the new year. Given he’s not in the frame for the ODI series, Paine could be available for Hobart’s away fixture against the Stars on January 14, although his heavy workload means he may opt for an extended break in order to tune up for the Sri Lanka Tests, beginning on January 24.

Squad: Jofra Archer (ENG), George Bailey, Johan Botha, Alex Doolan, Jake Doran, James Faulkner, Caleb Jewell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Simon Milenko, Tymal Mills (ENG), David Moody, Tim Paine, Tom Rogers, Clive Rose, D'Arcy Short, Aaron Summers, Matthew Wade

Melbourne Renegades

Next match: v Perth Scorchers, Marvel Stadium, Thurs Dec 20

The Renegades’ batting line-up will be below full-strength in the opening rounds, with openers Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris set to continue at the top of the order in Australia’s Test side. The earliest Finch and Harris will be available is likely the January 10 clash against Brisbane Heat at the Gabba, three days after the SCG Test is scheduled to finish. As Australia’s ODI skipper, Finch may miss the Heat clash given the one-dayers against India start just two days later. Paceman Chris Tremain has been released from Australia’s Test squad and is available for all matches.

Squad: Cameron Boyce, Dan Christian, Tom Cooper, Zak Evans, Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Jon Holland, Tim Ludeman, Joe Mennie, Mohammad Nabi (AFG), Kane Richardson, Usman Khan Shinwari (PAK), Will Sutherland, Chris Tremain, Beau Webster, Cameron White, Jack Wildermuth, Harry Gurney (ENG, international replacement)

Melbourne Stars

Next match: v Sydney Thunder, Manuka Oval, Fri Dec 21

Stars batter Peter Handscomb is under pressure to hold onto his spot in Australia’s Test XI after some low scores to start the series against India, but he’s been retained in the squad for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests. If Handscomb is overlooked for the Boxing Day Test in favour of allrounder Mitchell Marsh, he could feature for the Stars against the Sydney Sixers on December 27. However, if he holds his Test spot for the final two Tests of the series, he won’t be available until the match against the Scorchers on January 9.

Squad: Michael Beer, Jackson Bird, Scott Boland, Liam Bowe, Dwayne Bravo (WI), Jackson Coleman, Travis Dean, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Evan Gulbis, Peter Handscomb, Sandeep Lamichhane (NEP), Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jonathan Merlo, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa, Liam Plunkett (ENG, international replacement)

Perth Scorchers

Next match: v Melbourne Renegades, Marvel Stadium, Thurs Dec 20

Captain Mitchell Marsh is available for the Scorchers’ season opener against the Renegades on Thursday, but he will miss Saturday’s fixture against Sydney Sixers after retaining his spot in the Test squad. Marsh’s future availability will be determined by whether or not he edges out Handscomb in the XI for the Boxing Day Test. Shaun Marsh, a key member of the powerful Scorchers’ side since the BBL’s inception, is unlikely to be available until the January 9 clash against the Stars at the MCG at the earliest, while he’ll also likely be unavailable during the ODI series in mid-January.

Squad: Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Hilton Cartwright, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kelly, Michael Klinger, Mitchell Marsh (c), Shaun Marsh, Joel Paris, Usman Qadir (Pakistan), Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman, David Willey (England)

Sydney Sixers

Next match: v Perth Scorchers, SCG, Sat Dec 22

With Nathan Lyon a certainty, barring injury, to play in the last two Tests against India, the Sixers will not see the star off-spinner until 2019. The earliest Lyon could be available would be the January 13 match against the Scorchers in Perth before the Tests against Sri Lanka begin on January 24.

Squad: Sean Abbott, Justin Avendano, Tom Curran (ENG), Ben Dwarshuis, Joe Denly (England), Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Daniel Fallins, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Nathan Lyon, Peter Nevill, Stephen O'Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk, Henry Thornton, Greg West

Sydney Thunder

Next match: v Melbourne Stars, Manuka Oval, Fri Dec 21

Top-order batter Usman Khawaja and gun paceman Pat Cummins are all-but certain to be on Test duty at the MCG and SCG in coming weeks, leaving the pair unavailable for BBL selection until the end of the fourth Test at the SCG on January 7. But with the Thunder set to take on the Heat across town at Spotless Stadium on January 8, the duo could be available for that game, particularly if the Sydney Test finishes a day or two earlier than expected. Khawaja has already been removed from the Thunder squad, with Jono Cook coming in as a replacement player, but the left-hander can re-join the squad after Test duties are over.

Squad: Fawad Ahmed, Jos Buttler (ENG), Jono Cook, Pat Cummins, Callum Ferguson, Ryan Gibson, Chris Green, Liam Hatcher, Jay Lenton, Nathan McAndrew, Arjun Nair, Kurtis Patterson, Sam Rainbird, Joe Root (ENG), Daniel Sams, Gurinder Sandhu, Jason Sangha, Shane Watson, Anton Devcich (NZ, international replacement), Chris Jordan (ENG, international replacement)