Questions loom over Aussie Test, T20 squads

Australia's selectors will Monday announce the squads for next month's Qantas Test tour to South Africa and the trans-Tasman T20 tri-series, with many unresolved questions surrounding the highly-anticipated lists.

While the Test squad is more certain following the 4-0 Magellan Ashes triumph, national selector Mark Waugh conceded Australia "definitely won't" be able to field a full-strength team for the Gillette T20 INTL tri-series. 

The final of the three-nation T20 series is scheduled for February 21 at Eden Park in Auckland, with Australia's only red-ball warm-up match in South Africa to start the following day.

"We're pretty close, we pick the squads on Sunday. There's going to be a bit of mixing and matching – it's not ideal," Waugh told Sky Sports Radio. 

"We definitely won't have our full squad available for the T20s. There's players who probably would have been picked who will have to go to South Africa, probably three or four players I'd imagine."

Key personnel Steve Smith, David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are among those who could miss the 20-over tournament for an early look at South African conditions. 

"We're discussing that all the time which players will benefit more from going to South Africa, which ones we need back here – it's a bit of a juggling act," Waugh said.

"There's no right or wrong answer as to who goes where and why. It's bit a of a gut feeling as well and just try to get a feel of what players need."

In terms of the Test squad, the selectors will make a call on the reserve players to join the squad, with Peter Handscomb and Jackson Bird expected to be included in the touring party despite limited impact in the Ashes campaign.

Selectors may also have been tempted to look at Queensland Bulls opener Joe Burns as a back-up should the form worries over Ashes opener Cameron Bancroft persist. However Burns has been ruled out of the remainder of the Big Bash season with a torn abductor muscle, which could open the door for Matthew Renshaw, who had been discarded ahead of the Ashes series.

There is also the question of Glenn Maxwell. Out of favour for the 50-over format, he remains one of Australia's most T20 weapons. Yet he has also pressed his case against the red ball, and is the JLT Sheffield Shield leading run-scorer so far this season.

Marcus Stoinis, who has continued to impress in a burgeoning international career, is another option likely to figure in selectors' discussions – for both squads.

Waugh said he was confident the level of talent in Australia's domestic ranks would allow selectors to pick strong squads in both formats. 

"There's plenty of depth there even if we don't have our full-strength side. We've seen some great performances in the Big Bash, guys like D'Arcy Short have jumped out of the ground," he said.

"There's other players there as well. Not ideal, but that's the modern game. There's three forms of the game all inter-crossing… we're pretty much used to it now."

It's not the first time conflicting international schedules have stopped Australia from fielding their best side in the T20 arena.  

Last year multi-format representatives Warner, Smith, Starc and Maxwell all skipped Australia's T20 series loss to Sri Lanka after travelling to India ahead of the four-Test series.

It's an issue that has drawn the attention of Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain who will work as an assistant coach to the T20 side this summer.

"The T20 game in Australia I still feel has a lot of hurdles to get over as far as the programming; that's a tough one for our guys," he told cricket.com.au earlier this summer. 

"Historically we haven't performed well in T20 International tournaments, and I think a reason for that is quite often we don't get much continuity with our playing group. Quite often from one time to another you'll have a different captain because of what's coming up or what's just been.

"Until we start paying more attention to the T20 game on a more even keel, where we can, to Test cricket, then I don't think we'll ever improve. 

"Yes we have the Big Bash, but we don't play a lot of other T20 cricket in Australia, so unless you're playing in the IPL, a lot of players aren't playing a lot, and certainly aren't playing a lot together."

2017-18 International Fixtures

Gillette ODI Series v England

Australia ODI squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Cameron White, Adam Zampa.

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

First ODI England won by five wickets at the MCG.

Second ODI Gabba, January 19. Tickets

Third ODI SCG, January 21. Tickets

Fourth ODI Adelaide Oval, January 26. Tickets

Fifth ODI Perth Stadium, January 28. Tickets

Prime Minister's XI

PM's XI v England Manuka Oval, February 2. Tickets

Gillette T20 trans-Tasman Tri-Series

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, David Willey, Mark Wood.

First T20I Australia v NZ, SCG, February 3. Tickets

Second T20I Australia v England, Blundstone Arena, February 7. Tickets

Third T20I Australia v England, MCG, February 10. Tickets

Fourth T20I NZ v England, Wellington, February 14

Fifth T20I NZ v Australia, Eden Park, February 16

Sixth T20I NZ v England, Seddon Park, February 18

Final TBC, Eden Park, February 21