Australia name uncapped Pucovski in squad for Sri Lanka Tests

Four players have paid the price for meagre returns against India while Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw return to the Test set-up

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Australia have named their squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka, with the Marsh brothers, Aaron Finch and Peter Handscomb all dropped.

Joe Burns and Matt Renshaw have been recalled while 20-year-old Will Pucovski features as a surprise call-up.

The Victoria batsman - who averages 49 in first-class cricket - took an indefinite break from cricket earlier this year to receive treatment for a mental health-related illness.

National selection panel chair Trevor Hohns said  of the batsman: "Will Pucovski is an exciting young player who is making his mark in the Sheffield Shield. He is another player with a track record of making centuries.

"We look forward to him joining the squad and congratulate him on his first national call-up."

SQUAD

Tim Paine*, Josh Hazlewood, Joe Burns, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Will Pucovski, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle

Pucovski, who could make his Test debut at Brisbane later this month, says he is feeling "as good as I have felt in a really long time."

"I'm feeling really good, as good as I have felt in a really long time," he said.

"I've met some people along the way who have helped me turn things around. There is probably no better time to get exciting news like I have in the last 24 hours. It's not every day you get called up to represent your country, so it's been a very exciting couple of days."

The quartet of Finch, Handscomb and the Marsh brothers have paid the price for meagre returns against India, but Hohns says the decision does not mark the end of their Test careers.

"Ultimately Aaron, Peter, Shaun and Mitch have not produced the performances expected of them with the bat at the Test level," said Hohns. "They have been given good opportunity, but have not produced the scores we need.

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Matt Renshaw returns to the Test set-up

"All four are very good players, and the door is by no means closed for them to return to play Test cricket for Australia."

Those omissions open up slots for Burns and Renshaw who Australia hope will add steel to their batting line-up.

"Joe Burns has had strong performances in first-class cricket this season, and we believe he can contribute strongly if given the chance in the series," said Hohns.

Renshaw impressed in the English summer, scoring 513 runs (three centuries) in six innings, and Hohns believes the batsman has a long-term future in the national set-up.

"Matt Renshaw is a player with the ability to make big scores, and at 22 years old has 10 first-class centuries. He also performed extremely well in England during the County season. We see him as a long-term prospect as a Test player and have confidence in his ability to bounce back following a string of low scores early in the Shield season."

Australia host Sri Lanka at Brisbane and Canberra in a two-Test series starting on January 24.

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