Cameron Bancroft given maiden Australia T20 call-up as ODI contingent leave for New Zealand
Australia will be missing the services of their main batsmen David Warner and Steven Smith in the 2nd T20I against India on Friday, but will wear an even more depleted look for the 3rd T20I on Sunday. With a lot of the 17-man squad chosen for the India series leaving for New Zealand on Saturday, 23-year-old Cameron Bancroft has been called in as cover.
Bancroft is an exciting talent, who is a batsman who can double up as a wicketkeeper. His exceptional reflexes have made him one of the best close-in fielders of the current generation. He was given the role of wicketkeeper for the Perth Scorchers in the BBL this year, at which role he shone, with 9 dismissals.
He only got the role behind Perth’s stumps after an injury to regular keeper Sam Whiteman, and it looks like he has impressed so much in his makeshift role that he has been called up to stand behind Australia’s stumps, in a stand-in capacity.
With Matthew Wade among the contingent of players scheduled for a flight to New Zealand on Saturday, Bancroft is set to get his T20I debut on Sunday against India.
Bancroft was picked as a batsman for last October's Test tour of Bangladesh that was ultimately postponed. Despite being an oft-heard name in domestic circuits for a while now, the exciting talent has not yet got a chance to showcase his talent on the international stage.
Comfortable with keeping: Bancroft
It might be a role that has been thrust upon him, but Bancroft is going about the role of wicketkeeper with minimal fuss – the way he goes about the rest of his game.
"For me, ‘keeping was something I always did as a junior," Bancroft told Cricket Australia. "I think in Twenty20 cricket one of the biggest things is being able to pick 'Hoggy' (Scorchers spinner Brad Hogg).
"I was lucky enough to play in the same club team as him so I've had that up my sleeve.”
Steve Smith, David Warner, Mitch Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson and John Hastings are the other apart from Wade to be heading to New Zealand on Saturday, opening up spots in the team for fringe players to stake their claim.
Aus squad for T20I vs India on Sunday: Finch (c), Bancroft, Boland, Boyce, Faulkner, Head, Lyon, Lynn, S Marsh, Maxwell, Tait, Tye, Watson