Last Updated on 24 seconds ago by Charbel Coorey
Peter Handscomb is set captain Australia A in their two four-day matches against India A in Puducherry. The first begins on Tuesday September 22.
Nathan McSweeney has regularly captained Australia A, including in the last four-day match they played against England Lions in December 2025. However, he has reportedly been relinquished of the captaincy duties to focus on his batting, with the Test number three spot up for grabs amid Marnus Labuschagne’s poor run of form.
Peter Handscomb to captain Australia A in four-day match against India A in Puducherry near Chennai
According to CODE Sports, Handscomb, who is on the selectors’ radar for next year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy, will lead a team that will feature young openers Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway.
Australia A playing XI vs. India A: 1. Sam Konstas, 2. Campbell Kellaway, 3. Nathan McSweeney, 4. Peter Handscomb (c), 5. Jason Sangha, 6. Josh Philippe (wk), 7. Liam Scott, 8. Fergus O’Neill, 9. Todd Murphy, 10. Corey Rocchiccioli, 11. Brendan Doggett
Konstas (109) and Kellaway (88) hit runs on a flat Lucknow surface in September 2025. Speaking to the media last month, Kellaway says he hopes the pitches take more turn, but the pitches are expected to be batting-friendly again.
“I’m hoping we get some turning tracks over there because I guess that’s what you go over for,” Kellaway said.
“You want to be exposed to challenges like that. So yeah, I’m hoping I can get over there and get some time in the middle and just learn on the go, and also speak to other quality players that you’re over there with on how they go about things.
“Someone like Pete Handscomb is going to be there on this tour. He’s done it all before in India, so speaking to guys like him about my game and about what he finds works.”
The spotlight will also be on McSweeney to make an impression. The right-hander has made scores of 74, 85* and 226* in his last three innings for Australia A.
A big series in India, along with a strong start to the Sheffield Shield next month, will put McSweeney right in the mix for a recall to the Test team.
Elsewhere, Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli will take up the spin duties. That is a battle in itself, with both looking to win a spot in the squad for next year’s BGT squad.
Rocchiccioli recently took eight wickets – including 6/82 in the first innings – for CA XI against Bangladesh, where his drop and turn were a feature of his bowling.
“It is a dream. I want to play Test cricket and play for Australia but right now my journey and my stepping stone is… playing what is in front of me,” Rocchiccioli said, as quoted by cricket.com.au.
“If you keep performing you get the right to have your name in the calculations.”
