Renshaw recalled to Test squad, but Green locked in XI

The identity of the new addition to Australia's Test squad has been revealed, with Matthew Renshaw named in Australia's 13-man squad for the two-Test NRMA Insurance Series against West Indies that begins at Adelaide Oval on January 17.

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.

However, while Renshaw has edged out fellow Test-capped openers Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft for inclusion in the squad, the 27-year-old will still have to bide his time on the periphery, with national selection panel chair George Bailey indicating allrounder Cameron Green will return to Australia's starting XI, and that Renshaw (Brisbane Heat) and retained quick Scott Boland (Melbourne Stars) will play for their respective BBL clubs prior to joining the Test squad next week.

Confirmation that Green comes into the XI with Warner's the only exit means Steve Smith will move to the top of the order for the first time in his 14-year Test career, after the former Australia captain last week confirmed his interest in filling Warner's shoes.

"Cameron Green will come into the playing XI for the Test in Adelaide in a squad also containing Scott Boland and Matthew Renshaw," Bailey said today. "We have selected a team we believe contains the best six batters in the country.

"Scott Boland and Matt Renshaw will join the squad prior to the first Test after playing for the Melbourne Stars (Jan 15) and Brisbane Heat (Jan 13) in the BBL."

Smith's imminent reinvention as an opener at age 34 is set to allow Green to resume his promising Test career at number four, where the 24-year-old has averaged 65.1 in 24 Marsh Sheffield Shield innings for Western Australia.

Furthermore, Australia's bowling stocks will be boosted by Green's highly regarded seamers, which have earned him 30 wickets at 36 from his 24 Tests to date, although he could well be used more sparingly having taken on a more specialist batting role.

Selectors have found it difficult to find a berth for Green since fellow WA allrounder Mitchell Marsh seized his chance during last year's Ashes, with Marsh averaging 66 at number six since his return to the Test XI at Headingley last July.

Given Renshaw has filled every batting berth from one to six during his first-class career, and been utilised as an opener and in the middle-order during his 14 Tests between 2016 and this year, his inclusion also offers selectors significant flexibility.

Renshaw's 2023-24 Shield record is not dissimilar to Harris's with 348 runs at 31.6 and a solitary century, but he showed his class against Pakistan with an unbeaten 136 batting at number three in the pre-Test series tour game at Manuka Oval.

The 27-year-old was previously recalled for the final NRMA Insurance Test last summer against South Africa at the SCG after Green suffered a fractured finger in the preceding match at the MCG, with his ability to slot into the middle-order a key factor in his return.

He was then retained for the first match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in India in February but after scores of 0, 2 and 2 in his three innings (having replaced Warner as a concussion substitute during the second Test at Delhi), Renshaw lost his place.

Selectors then opted for Harris as auxiliary opener on the World Test Championship-Ashes tour to the UK later in the year, but he remained on the sidelines despite Warner's ongoing struggle against the new ball in England.

Harris played the most recent of his 14 Tests to date against England during the 2021-22 Ashes series before being dropped to make way for Khawaja's hugely successful installation as an opener in the final Test of that summer in Hobart.

The 31-year-old has averaged 31 from his nine Marsh Sheffield Shield innings so far this summer with a top score of 164 against Tasmania in early November, and like Renshaw recently posted a century against Pakistan, his coming in a two-day game outing for Victoria prior to the Boxing Day Test.

Bancroft was last year's leading Shield runs scorer with 945 at an average of 59.06 with four hundreds, and also sits atop the most prolific domestic batters this season with 512 at 56.9 with two centuries from his nine innings.

However the 31-year-old, who has also shown his keeping credentials with Sydney Thunder during the current BBL season, now seems at lengthening odds to add to his record of 10 Tests (446 runs at 26.2), the most recent of which came at Lord's during the 2019 Ashes series.

Meanwhile, Smith will also return to the captaincy for the three-match Dettol ODI Series against West Indies starting February 2, with a number of Australia's World Cup-winning squad being "managed" following their involvement in the Test summer.

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), Travis Head (vc), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Adam Zampa.

Uncapped fast bowler Lance Morris has been named in the 13-man squad along with his WA teammate Jhye Richardson, who last played for Australia in Sri Lanka during mid-2022 and has battled a series of injuries since.

Test captain Pat Cummins, pace bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as well as allrounder Marsh have been rested from the Dettol Series, while World Cup squad member Marcus Stoinis has not been named.

Travis Head will serve as Smith's deputy with Bailey indicating the squad reflects the opportunity for a number of players to push their claims ahead of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan.

"It is a little over 12 months until the Champions Trophy and further opportunities for the likes of Aaron Hardie, Matt Short, Jhye Richardson, and Nathan Ellis will be valuable both to our ongoing improvement as a team and also further their personal experiences in ODI cricket," he said.

"The squad strikes a balance between players continuing to make their mark on international cricket, playing alongside some of our most experienced players with an eye to the future in this format."

NRMA Insurance Test series v West Indies

Tour match: January 10-13, Karen Rolton Oval (10.30am AEDT)

First Test: January 17-21, Adelaide Oval (10.30am AEDT)

Second Test: January 25-29, Gabba (3pm AEDT)

West Indies Test squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (c), Alzarri Joseph (vc), Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Kirk McKenzie, Alick Athanaze, Kavem Hodge, Justin Greaves, Joshua DaSilva, Akeem Jordan, Gudakesh Motie, Kemar Roach, Kevin Sinclair, Tevin Imlach, Shamar Joseph, Zachary McCaskie

Men's Dettol ODI Series v West Indies

February 2: MCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 4: SCG, 2.30pm AEDT

February 6: Manuka Oval, Canberra 2.30pm AEDT

Men's Dettol T20I Series v West Indies

February 9: Blundstone Arena, Hobart 7.00pm AEDT

February 11: Adelaide Oval, 7pm AEDT

February 13: Perth Stadium, 7pm AEDT