Three Sixers have been included in the Australia A squads to face India A in a series of four-day and one-day matches to be held in July in India.
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On a day in which Cricket Australia revealed the squads for back-to-back Test series against the West Indies and England to run June through August, the players selected in the Aussie A sides indicates those that are firmly in the selectors thinking as 'next in line'.
With five Sixers in the Test squad, the depth of the side will be again on show with Sean Abbott, Nic Maddinson and Stephen O'Keefe all selected for spots in the 'A' squads.
For Maddinson and Abbott, selection also means they'll be spending close to three months of the year in India with the pair set to leave this Friday for the Indian Premier League (IPL). Starting on April 8, the IPL runs until the end of May meaning there will only be a month turn around ahead of their return to start the 'A' series in July.
After a strong shield season in which he recorded the second highest average for any player from the Blues, Maddo has been rewarded with selection in the four-day squad alongside a host of talented players and those with Test experience.
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Following the Big Bash, Maddo posted scores of 85, 49 and 93 in his return to the Shield competition, and also scored a quick-fire 98 in the final match of the season against Western Australia. Having represented Australia twice in T20 Internationals, this honour is recognition of his standing in the game as one of the brightest batting talents across all formats.
Maddo is joined in the four-day squad by Stephen O'Keefe who, after another strong Shield campaign, marginally missed selection for the Test squad after earning his Baggy Green in October.
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In the One-day side Sean Abbott will represent the Australian side after also earning his first taste of International cricket in October.
Last Winter while apart of the National Performance Squad, Abbott played against Australia A and starred as the young NPS side defeated their more fancied opponents. He'll be hoping to utilise the campaign to again press for higher honours.
The four-day squad is as follows:
Usman Khawaja (c -QLD), Matthew Wade (vc - VIC), Ashton Agar (WA), Cameron Bancroft (WA), Joe Burns (QLD), Patrick Cummins (NSW), Andrew Fekete (TAS), Peter Handscomb (VIC), Travis Head (SA), Nic Maddinson (NSW), Glenn Maxwell (VIC), Stephen O'Keefe (NSW), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Marcus Stoinis (VIC)
The one-day squad is as follows:
Usman Khawaja (c -QLD), Matthew Wade (vc - VIC), Sean Abbott (NSW), Ashton Agar (WA), Cameron Boyce (QLD), Joe Burns (QLD), Nathan Coulter-Nile (WA), Patrick Cummins (NSW), Callum Ferguson (SA), Peter Handscomb (VIC), Travis Head (SA), Chris Lynn (QLD), Gurinder Sandhu (NSW), Adam Zampa (SA)