Pucovski, Green headline Test and Australia A squads

Rising stars Will Pucovski and Cameron Green were today confirmed among five uncapped players in Australia's extended squad of 17 for the Vodafone Test Series against India.

Spinner Mitchell Swepson and seam-bowling allrounders Michael Neser and Sean Abbott are the other members of the Test squad yet to wear the Baggy Green.

Pat Cummins was named the sole vice-captain of the Test team, while selectors also named a 19-player Australia A squad that includes nine members of the Test squad.

It's the first time in an Australian Test squad for Green and Abbott, with all five new faces called up on the back of extraordinary form in opening rounds of the Marsh Sheffield Shield.

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Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Australia A squad: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Joe Burns, Jackson Bird, Alex Carey (wk), Harry Conway, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Nic Maddinson, Mitchell Marsh (subject to fitness), Michael Neser, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Mark Steketee, Will Sutherland, Mitchell Swepson

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The fresh faces joined the incumbent Test 12 that swept through Australia's most recent Test series' – against Pakistan and New Zealand at home before the global pandemic hit – and took the team to the top of the world rankings.

It sets up a showdown between Pucovski, who struck successive double centuries in his two Shield appearances, and fellow opener Joe Burns, the incumbent who had a torrid start to the first-class summer, to partner David Warner at the top of the order.

Both players were named in a strong Australia A squad that will face India in a three-day match, as well as a three-day pink-ball day-night warm up that also includes Test captain Tim Paine as well as likely Test starter Travis Head.

CA's National Selector Trevor Hohns said the Shield performances bode well for Australian cricket's future.

"Two of those many standout players were of course Cameron Green and Will Pucovski. Their undeniable form demanded selection and we are very pleased to have these young men in the squad for what will be a tremendous Test Series against an extremely formidable opponent," Hohns said in a statement.

"Cameron has already won selection in the white-ball squad and continues that in joining the Test squad. He is a wonderful young talent who has great potential to become an allrounder of substance over time. His batting alone has demanded his place in the squad."

"Will's record-breaking start to the summer has been exceptional. His ability to show such patience is something which stands him in good stead for Test cricket and he is in rare company with two double centuries to start the summer. We very much look forward to Will developing further on the international stage."

The 22-year-old Pucovski has been in stunning touch in the opening rounds of the Shield competition, plundering 495 runs at the scarcely believable average of 247.50 in his two matches to make an irresistible case for the Baggy Green cap that's beckoned for years.

The uncapped seamers – Abbott and Neser – are expected to be back-up for front-line quicks Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson

Green has been earmarked as a future Test star, but has only just returned to bowling after a serious back injury and is likely to come into consideration in the allrounder role if Australia looks to play two spinners (perhaps in the third Test at the SCG) and needs to bolster its pace options.

The Western Australian has been in stunning batting form in the Shield competition this summer including a career-best 197 against New South Wales, and took the new ball in his first match back at the bowling crease.

He has been on restricted loads, bowling just 24 overs across the past two Shield matches since his return.

Queensland leg-spinner Swepson, the Shield competition's leading wicket-taker after the first four rounds with 23 wickets at 21.17, will act as understudy to record-breaking off-spinner Nathan Lyon. The introduction of COVID-substitute regulations this year means teams are expected to carry a ready replacement for each specialist in their extended squad.

Former Test wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will fill the back-up 'keeper role should injury or illness befall skipper Paine.

"Mitch Swepson is another who has excelled and is in fine form for Queensland. He gives the side a strong second spin option to Nathan Lyon and we feel he is ready and deserving of the opportunity," Hohns said.

"Sean Abbott has also been outstanding at the start of the summer and comes in to his first Test squad as a very strong fast bowling option. Add that to his recent batting form over the last 12 months he presents a very complete package in the squad."

Neser, who struck his maiden first-class century in Queensland's opening Shield match, has been an uncapped member of Australia's Test squad for most of the past two years.

While form in the first four rounds of the Shield has earned the uncapped five their places in the squad, the jockeying for positions in the starting XI for the opening Test at Adelaide Oval from December 17 begins in earnest now with players involved in the Indian Premier League to land in Sydney on Thursday afternoon.

That group includes Test regulars Steve Smith, Warner, Cummins, Hazlewood and Pattinson, who have not played a first-class match since at least the previous season's final Test against New Zealand.

The IPL players will clear mandatory quarantine in time for the Dettol ODI and T20I Series against India in Sydney and Canberra from November 27 to December 8.

Those matches will be followed by two Australia A fixtures against Indian sides in Sydney, the first at Drummoyne Oval (Dec 6-8) and the second under lights at the SCG, to prepare players for the opening pink-ball Test at Adelaide Oval.

Final squads, and captains, for each of the two warm-up matches will be named closer to the contest. Both matches will be live streamed on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app to a global audience.

Hohns said removing the title of co-vice-captain from Travis Head was not a reflection on his standing in the team.

"As was the case with the white ball side we have reverted to a traditional leadership model of captain and vice-captain now we have a settled and in-form group of experienced players," Hohns said.

"Travis remains an important member of the senior leadership group and has been integral in the recent success of the side which is now ranked as the best Test team in the world. He has been a great support to Tim and is a very experienced leader."

India Tour of Australia 2020-21

Australia Test squad: Tim Paine (c), Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Australia ODI & T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey , Pat Cummins (vc), 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

India ODI squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Mayank Agarwal, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur.

India T20I squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Sanju Samson (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan

India Test squad: Virat Kohli (c) (first Test only), Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Siraj

Dettol ODI Series v India

First ODI: November 27, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Second ODI: November 29, SCG, 2.40pm AEDT

Third ODI: December 2, Manuka Oval, 2.40pm AEDT

Dettol T20 INTL Series v India

First T20: December 4, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm AEDT

Second T20: December 6, SCG, 7.10pm AEDT

Third T20: December 8, SCG, 7.10pm AEDT

Tour matches

Australia A v India A, December 6-8, Drummoyne Oval

Australia A v Indians, December 11-13, SCG (day-night)

Vodafone Test Series v India

First Test: December 17-21, Adelaide Oval, 3pm AEDT (day-night)

Second Test: December 26-30, MCG, 10.30am AEDT

Third Test: January 7-11, SCG, 10.30am AEDT

Fourth Test: January 15-19, Gabba, 11am AEDT

*The matches and travel remain subject to any relevant government restrictions or requirements.