Australia's chief men's cricket selector George Bailey has confirmed that Victorian captain Peter Handscomb is still on the selection radar, while changes could be in force for the Indian tour next year.
Australia, who take on the West Indies in a two-Test series, and South Africa in a three-Test series on home soil this summer, will depart for India where they will play four Tests following the end of the Big Bash League.
Bailey, speaking after Australia pickled a strong PM's XI side to take on the West Indies in a four-day tour game in Canberra, confirmed changes could be made with a bigger squad size and differing conditions in India.
"I would envisage the tour to India may have some different names to it than what the tour does over the (Australian) summer, just because of the conditions," Bailey said.
"They are every chance to be very different.
"Because it's an away tour you take a slightly bigger squad anyway.
"Plus it's at the back of a (home) summer and there's a reasonable amount of cricket that would have been played by then."
It appears unlikely that changes will be made unless injury strikes during the home summer, with the 13-man squad to play the West Indies confirmed yesterday featuring all of Australia's presumed first choice XI, as well as Marcus Harris and Scott Boland.
It was Victorian teammate Peter Handscomb who can count himself unlucky though, setting the world on fire during last year's Sheffield Shield campaign, and again at the start of this summer.
The middle order batsman has struggled at times during his career against pace, but excels against spin, and Bailey confirmed he was still very much on the selection radar.
"Pete remains absolutely on our radar," Bailey said.
"He was selected on the Australia A tour to Sri Lanka in the winter, (but missed it) while having a baby at the same time.
"He's started the season fantastically and finished the last Shield year fantastically."
Handscomb has been selected in the PM's XI side, which will be captained by Josh Inglis.
