Will Pucovski and Cameron Green have been rewarded for their good form, and selected in Australia's Test squad for the upcoming series against India. Pucovski and Green were named in a 17-man squad on Thursday after starring in the Sheffield Shield.
"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," Australia national selector Trevor Hohns said in a statement.
So who are these young guns?
Pucovski, 22, made his List A debut for Cricket Australia XI against the Pakistanis during the later's tour of Australia in 2017. The right-handed batsman then made his first-class debut for Victoria in the 2016–17 Sheffield Shield season. And, in 2019, he was named in Australia's Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka.
Known for his prodigious talent, Pucovski famously scored four consecutive hundreds in 2016-17 to break the long-standing record for most runs scored (650) in the Under 19 National Championships season, previously held by Queensland’s Jerry Cassel (568).
In 2018, he was hit on the head by a Sean Abbott bouncer to suffer a second concussion in two years.
His father Jan, who migrated from Czechoslovakia, is a local legend in Caulfield.
With 495 runs at an average of 247.5 for Victoria, Pucovski is the leading run-scorer in the competition this season.
Green has also impressed, scoring 363 at 72.6 for Western Australia, while also picking up two wickets.
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Green, an all-rounder, who also made his List A debut for Cricket Australia XI during Pakistan's 2017 tour. The 21-year-old then made his first-class debut for Western Australia in the 2016–17 Sheffield Shield season.
He passed 1000 first-class runs in just the 17th match and how has an average of 52.57 with four centuries. And he also averages 21.53 with the ball.
Hohns reserved special praise for Green.
"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 all-rounder 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," Honhs added.
Besides Pucovski and Green, Australian selectors have also rewarded Mitchell Swepson, who took 23 wickets at 21.17. The 27-year-old leg-spinner has earned a place in the team as another option to seasoned Nathan Lyon.
Pacer Abbott (14 wickets at 17.92) was also included in the squad.
Pucovski, Green, Swepson and Abbott are also among nine Test players included in an Australia A squad to face India A and India.
Joe Burns, whose place is under threat from Pucovski, is part of both teams despite struggling to just 57 runs in five innings to start the Sheffield Shield season.
The first Test between Australia and India is scheduled to begin in Adelaide on December 17.
Australia: Sean Abbott, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Tim Paine, James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner.
(With Omnisport inputs)
