The visitors play three T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests in Sri Lanka in June and July, and have added an A tour too, with Australia A set to play two 50-over matches in Colombo and two four-day games in Hambantota while the senior team simultaneously engages in the T20I and ODI series.
“These are very targeted to skill sets, and what we see as the bulk of the squad for the home T20 World Cup and looking further forward to the ODI World Cup,” Bailey said.
“We were able to continue to build our depth with great white ball performances in Pakistan on the back of a superb Test Series. As selectors this has been one of the most rewarding parts amid the challenges of the past few years.”
There were no shocks in the Test squad, with a virtually unchanged group named from the one that beat Pakistan 1-0 in March. Marcus Harris and Mark Steketee were the only players missing, although both have been named in the Australia A squad.
Australia were almost back to full strength in the T20I squad, as they ramp up preparation for the T20 World Cup title defence later this year at home.
Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson all missed the white-ball series in Pakistan, but have returned for the Sri Lanka tour, with Wade, Jhye Richardson and Kane Richardson picked only for the T20Is.
But the return of Warner, Maxwell, Marsh and Smith has created a squeeze for spots, with Travis Head retaining his place after a phenomenal return to limited-overs cricket in Pakistan.
The Australia A squad has also been selected with a primary focus on red-ball cricket, with McDermott behind the likes of Peter Handscomb, Matt Renshaw and Nic Maddinson in the red-ball batting stakes.
Bailey also noted the Australia A tour gives the squads an enormous amount of flexibility, with players likely to cross over between squads where needed. Josh Inglis, Jhye Richardson, Sean Abbott, Scott Boland and Head have all been named in the A squad as well, while also being part of the main squad.
“There are several players returning to respective squads combined with an Australia A tour running in parallel to the white-ball series,” Bailey said.
“It’s incredibly exciting to have an Australia A component which offers further flexibility and opportunity for players to be available for and cross over into all squads. That could be from a Test or white-ball preparation perspective or an opportunity to impress at an international level.
“Those factors, coupled with what we expect to be more freedom of travel, means we can be very specific with our structures while continuing to develop the next generation of players. This is the first time a tour of this scale has been possible since the Ashes in 2019.”
Australia T20I squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner, Matthew Wade (wk)
Australia ODI squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (capt), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith (vice-capt), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner
Australia A squad: Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Peter Handscomb, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Henry Hunt, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nic Maddinson, Todd Murphy, Josh Philippe, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Tanveer Sangha, Mark Steketee
Alex Malcolm is an Associate Editor at ESPNcricinfo
