Australia U19 set to leave for India

The Australia U19 team depart for India on Thursday ahead of a Quad-Series involving India, Sri Lanka and West Indies.

There have been three changes to the squad that was originally selected on 8 August with Joel Paris (WA) out through injury and replaced by Billy Stanlake (QLD), while Seb Gotch (VIC) is completing his studies at Caulfield Grammar and is replaced by Sam Truloff. Also joining the squad is 18-year-old Victorian leg-spinner James Muirhead. Muirhead?s inclusion now makes it a 15-player squad.

With Paris and Gotch out and the extra inclusion of Muirhead, there are now nine changes from the Australia U19 squad that toured Dubai to play the West Indies earlier this year as selectors and coaches maximise the opportunities available to look at a variety of players ahead of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup being played in Australia next August.

Coach David Fitzgerald said he was keen to give players plenty of opportunities and all nine new players in the squad would be given a chance to impress.

"The ICC U19 World Cup is just under a year away and we are well into our preparations and this opportunity to go to India and play against three quality opponents will be a great challenge and experience for this squad," Fitzgerald said.

"India are always a tough opponent and even more so at home and Sri Lanka will be accustomed to the conditions, while we got a look at the West Indies earlier this year and they have some quality fast bowlers in their group.

"Apart from Cameron Bancroft and James Pierson who went to Chennai with the AIS Scholars this year, playing in the subcontinent will be a new experience for the remainder of the group.

"We are expecting a very challenging series and I?m sure our squad will learn a lot from the tour," he said.

The 15-player Australia U19 squad is:

Cameron Bancroft (WA)

William Bosisto (WA)

Shane Cassel (NSW)

Brad Chard (NSW)

Travis Head (SA)

Dominic McGlinchey (VIC)

James Muirhead (VIC)

Corey Ogle (VIC)

Kurtis Patterson (NSW)

James Pierson (QLD)

Alex Pyecroft (TAS)

Billy Stanlake (QLD)

Nicholas Stevens (QLD)

Sam Truloff (QLD)

Ashton Turner (WA)

Coaching staff:

David Fitzgerald - Head Coach

John Davison - Assistant Coach