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Australia A tour begins in Chennai

Several Test prospects kick-start their month-long tour of India with a four-day match in Chennai

A host of Australian players will be looking to enhance their Test chances as Australia A take on India A in a four-day match beginning today (Wednesday).

The match is just one of six that the development side will play on the subcontinent, consisting of two four-day games against India A and four one-day fixtures (plus a final) in a triangular series with the South Africa and India A sides.

The squad of 14 arrived in Chennai early last week and have been training at MA Chidambaram Stadium with several players making first-class returns from long-term injuries.

Captain Usman Khawaja is returning for his first four-day fixture in seven months after rupturing his ACL before the beginning of BBL|04, while Western Australian spinner Ashton Agar returns from recent shoulder surgery.

Australia A put through their paces in final pre-series training session

Khawaja said he had trained hard in the off-season, despite his long-term lay-off, as he readied himself for a return to first-class cricket.

“Seven months is a long way from the game, I’ve never had a stint so far away (and) it’s been tough work …I ’m a little nervous but very excited,” he said.

“I’ve played enough cricket to know what works for me; it’s the same at the start of every season, I put every match on a pedestal.”

Quick Single: Khawaja returns with Australia A hit-out

The competition for spots is at fever-pitch according to squad vice-captain Matthew Wade, the only player in the side to have international experience at Test level in India.

“Every player is trying to play for Australia at some stage in the next little bit so performances in this tournament are key with one-dayers at the back of the Ashes and then the Australian summer coming up,” Wade said.

The 12-Test wicketkeeper was part of the Australia ODI line-up as recently as November 2014, replacing Brad Haddin who was ruled out with a shoulder injury, and he wants more time in the coloured clothing.

“In the Test arena, I’m obviously third in the pecking order (behind Haddin and Peter Nevill) but I played the last one-day series before the World Cup and did pretty well so I see myself playing one-day cricket if I play well enough and put my hand up for the next tour.”

Western Australian batsman Cameron Bancroft will also look to build on his best domestic season to date, having compiled 896 runs at 47.15 to finish third on the overall run scorers list.

The Chennai wicket is generally known for its extra bounce and pace off the pitch, playing perfectly into the hands of pace inclusions Andrew Fekete and Gurinder Sandhu.

The home side will feature Test players Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav, and are coached by Test legend Rahul Dravid.

In the previous three Test matches at the venue, the average score per innings completed was 394, with the home side’s average a mammoth 457 runs.

For news and reults of the Australia 'A' tour of India, click here.

Cricket Australia will provide live scores and video highlights of Australia A's Tour of India from July 20 - August 15.

FOUR-DAY SQUAD: Usman Khawaja (QLD, captain), Matthew Wade (VIC, vice-captain), Sean Abbott (NSW), Ashton Agar (WA), Cameron Bancroft (WA), Joe Burns (QLD), Andrew Fekete (TAS), Callum Ferguson (SA), Peter Handscomb (VIC), Travis Head (SA), Nic Maddinson (NSW), Stephen O'Keefe (NSW), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Marcus Stoinis (VIC)

ONE-DAY SQUAD: Usman Khawaja (QLD, captain), Matthew Wade (VIC, vice-captain), Sean Abbott (NSW), Ashton Agar (WA), Cameron Boyce (QLD), Joe Burns (QLD), Nathan Coulter-Nile (WA), Callum Ferguson (SA), Peter Handscomb (VIC), Travis Head (SA), Chris Lynn (QLD), James Pattinson (VIC), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Adam Zampa (SA). Stand-by: Andrew Fekete (TAS)

AUSTRALIA ‘A’ FIXTURES:

Wed 22 July – Sat 25 July – Four day match vs. India ‘A’

Wed 29 July – Sat 1 Aug – Four day match vs. India ‘A’

Wed Aug 5 – One-day match vs. South Africa ‘A’

Fri Aug 7 – One-day match vs. India ‘A’

Mon Aug 10 – One-day match vs. South Africa ‘A’

Tues Aug 11 – One-day match vs. India ‘A’

Fri Aug 14 - Final

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