India to play two warm-up matches against Western Australia XI

The Indian team have reached Perth for the beginning of the 5-match ODI series against Australia set to begin next week, and will be playing a couple of warm-up games against Western Australia XI on Friday and Saturday to get into the groove.

Friday will see a T20 match being played, while a day/night 50-over match is slated for Saturday. Western Australia, who are playing in the Big Bash League as the Perth Scorchers, will be playing a second-string side, with the notable names on their ranks being promising youngster Will Bosisto, former internationals Travis Birt and James Muirhead, and David Moody, who also happens to be Tom Moody’s nephew.

Bosisto is a former U-19 captain and led the team to U-19 World Cup final in 2012 where they lost to eventual champions India. Bosisto is one of the five cricketers on Perth Scorchers’ stand bye list. Others are Josh Inglis, David Moody, Josh Nicholas and Liam O’Connor.

As for India, the players who will take part in the match will be those in the 50-over squad, as T20 specialists Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra are still in India.

The match does not have an official tag and all the players of the Indian team will get a chance to play. The crucial area for the team management to take a decision on will be to choose Suresh Raina’s replacement.

Manish Pandey and Gurkeerat Singh Mann are the two prime contenders for the role, and there will be a lot of eyes on these two batsmen in the practice games.

Western Australia Squads

Twenty20: Will Bosisto (c), Travis Birt, Jake Carder, Ryan Duffield, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Matt Kelly, David Moody, Jaron Morgan, James Muirhead, Josh Nicholas, Liam O’Connor, D’Arcy Short.

One-dayer: Will Bosisto (c), Alex Bevilaqua, Jake Carder, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, David Moody, Jaron Morgan, James Muirhead, Liam O Connor, Drew Porter, D Arcy Short, Mark Turner.