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Melbourne: Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel (NSP) today announced a 15-man Test squad for Australia's VB Tour of Sri Lanka.
NSP Chairman Andrew Hilditch said: "The National Selection Panel today announced the Australian squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka.
It is obviously a very important time for Australian cricket as we strive to get back to the top of world rankings in Test cricket, but at the same time is a very exciting opportunity for this squad as it takes on Sri Lanka on its home soil.
We believe the squad has a really good blend of experience and young talented players who we are sure are ready for the challenges ahead.
Phillip Hughes and Shane Watson will again open the batting in what we hope will become a very successful opening partnership for Australia.
Phillip richly deserves this opportunity with his Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield performances and of course has already proved he can succeed at international level.
He ended the interstate season in great form during the Shield final and has continued on with a great series, featuring three hundreds, on the Australia A tour of Zimbabwe.
Shaun Marsh comes into the Australian Test squad and has been in our minds for some time as a player who could have a real impact at international level in all forms of the game.
Injury impacted at critical times last year however he has worked hard and is in our view ready to seize this opportunity.
Ryan Harris has recovered well from injury and deserves to come back after bowling so well during the Ashes series.
The 15-man squad is:
Michael Clarke (c)
Shane Watson (vc)
Michael Beer
Trent Copeland
Brad Haddin
Ryan Harris
Phillip Hughes
Michael Hussey
Mitchell Johnson
Usman Khawaja
Nathan Lyon
Shaun Marsh
James Pattinson
Ricky Ponting
Peter Siddle
We are sure he will do this and he will be very much in contention for selection on the upcoming tour to South Africa.
Doug Bollinger has been left out of the Test squad. The NSP feels he needs to improve his ability to bowl spells at full intensity and maintain it over the course of a match, particularly in these days of back-to-back Tests.
The intention of the NSP was to take Jason Krejza to Sri Lanka provided he proved he was bowling at his best.
He has had very limited opportunities in Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield cricket so the Zimbabwe tour was very important for him.
Unfortunately Jason did not bowl as well as we, or I am sure he, would have liked during this tour and therefore he has not been rewarded with selection.
Since the immense disappointment of the Ashes series, the coaching staff and playing group have worked tirelessly to prepare for the challenge ahead.
There is a quiet confidence about the group and we are sure this squad will do all in its power to get the Australian Test team back to where it needs to be in world cricket.
