Australia drop Shane Watson, Nathan Lyon from 13-member squad for ODI series vs India

Sydney: Australia on Monday included uncapped fast bowlers Scott Boland and Joel Paris and left leading spinner Nathan Lyon out of a 13-man squad for the first three one-day internationals against India.

Boland has been on the periphery of the Test team for the current series against the West Indies, while Western Australia`s Paris has been brought in to the national ODI squad for the first time for this month`s series.

There was no place for Lyon with all-rounder Glenn Maxwell to be used as the spinning option.

"Scott has continued to impress the selection panel, having bowled very well for his state Victoria this year," chairman of selectors Rod Marsh said.

"He certainly deserves this chance at the top level.

"Joel is an exciting young left-arm bowler who swings the ball well.

"He has had very good figures in short-form cricket and we really want him to make the most of this opportunity."

South Australia paceman Kane Richardson returns to the side having last played for Australia against South Africa in Canberra in 2014.

"Kane has had a taste of cricket at the international level and although that has been interrupted on occasions through injury we think he is ready to perform consistently for Australia," Marsh said.

Boland and Paris have been included following injuries to front-line fast bowlers, including Mitchell Starc, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Peter Siddle.

Selector Trevor Hohns said Lyon, Australia`s leading all-time Test off-spin wicket-taker, was still in the panel`s thoughts for future ODIs.

"Nathan is not far out of the picture for one-day cricket, and of course with the (World) T20 coming up it`s probably ideal for him to go back and play some of those games," Hohns told reporters.
"We`re playing the first few games in Brisbane and Perth where normally you play with your faster bowlers.

"Glenn Maxwell has done a pretty good job in the spinning role when we`re only playing that one type of spinner-cum-all-rounder, plus the quicks."

Hohns said selectors would probably consider two spinners for the T20 World Cup in India in March because of the playing conditions on the sub-continent.

Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns were among other notable players left out of the squad.

It will be the first time top-ranked Australia have faced India since beating them in the World Cup semi-final at Sydney last March.

Australia subsequently beat New Zealand in the final to win their fifth World Cup India will play five ODIs against India starting in Perth on January 12, followed by Brisbane on January 15, Melbourne on January 17, Canberra pn January 20 and Sydney on January 23.

Australia - Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, George Bailey, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Joel Paris, Matthew Wade.