Victoria wicketkeeper Matthew Wade will make his one-day international debut in the upcoming tri-series against India and Sri Lanka, with Brad Haddin rested.
Wade, who had his first taste of international action in two Twenty20 matches in South Africa last year, has been named in Australia’s 14-man squad and will have a golden chance to impress after Brad Haddin’s poor summer.
Wade had already been selected in Australia’s two-match T20 series against India, which starts on Wednesday.
While Tasmanian Tim Paine has played four Tests and was viewed as Haddin’s likely successor, Paine’s recurring finger injury first suffered in November 2010 means Wade has taken the mantle as heir apparent.
Haddin, who averaged 29 in the Test series against India, will return to his ACT roots in an effort to fine tune his game.
The 34-year-old will captain the Prime Minister’s XI in a one-day match against Sri Lanka on Friday, but is expected to feature in the latter stages of the tri-series.
“Brad Haddin has come off a heavy program of Test cricket. The workload for a wicketkeeper/batsman is rigorous and resting him for the start of the series will refresh him for coming international commitments while also giving us a chance to look at Matt Wade at this level,” Inverarity said in a statement.
Injury-plagued allrounder Shane Watson is still on the sidelines, but David Hussey and Brett Lee have regained their spots in the squad after playing no part in the ODI series in South Africa, due to form and appendicitis respectively.
Queensland batsman Peter Forrest, who will play alongside Haddin in the PM’s XI, and South Australia allrounder Dan Christian are in line to make ODI debuts.
Xavier Doherty is the squad’s only spinner, while Lee, Mitch Starc, Clint McKay, and Ryan Harris will lead the pace attack.
Struggling Test batsman Shaun Marsh, who made just 17 runs over six Test innings in the 4-0 series win over India, has been dropped and will look to regain his touch in the Sheffield Shield.
“Shaun Marsh is obviously disappointed with his own form in recent weeks and is out of the side but remains in our thinking for the future while he works at state level,” Inverarity said.
“As they say, class is permanent but form can be temporary.”
Mitchell Marsh has also been picked in the ODI squad, but he will miss the first two matches to play a Shield game against Queensland.
Australian ODI squad: Michael Clarke (capt), David Warner, Ricky Ponting, Peter Forrest, Dan Christian, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, Brett Lee, Ryan Harris, Mitch Starc, Xavier Doherty, Clint McKay, Mitch Marsh.
