Melbourne, Jan 23: Left-arm spinner Brad Hogg will return to international cricket at the age of 40 after being named Monday in the Australian Twenty20 squad to play two matches against India next month.
Hogg retired from international cricket in 2008 after playing seven tests and 123 one-day internationals, but mounted a comeback after an outstanding season for the Perth Scorchers who have reached the final of Australia's Big Bash Twenty20 league.
Hogg turns 41 on Feb. 6, a few day after the Twenty20 series against India which includes matches at Sydney on Feb. 1 and Melbourne on Feb. 3.
Tasmania's George Bailey will captain the Australian team in place of Cameron White, who has been dropped from the squad.
Bailey and White are Melbourne Stars teammates in the Big Bash League and neither has had an outstanding competition. White scored only 55 runs at an average of eight and Bailey 114 runs at an average of 19.
Bailey, who is one of five Melbourne Stars players in the Australian team, previously captained Australia A against New Zealand in Brisbane in November. He also captains Tasmania in one-day and first class matches.
"The National Selection Panel unanimously favored George Bailey as captain of the T20 team," chairman of selectors John Inverarity said. "George is a very good T20 player with a sound record.
"He is widely respected and regarded as an outstanding captain, having had sustained success in this role"
The squad features a number of changes to the one which played South Africa in South Africa late last year, mostly due to injuries.
Vice-captain Shane Watson and young bowlers Pat Cummins and James Pattinson are all injured.
"Shane Watson has yet to regain match fitness and was not considered for selection," Inverarity said. "The intention is for Shane to take however long it takes to become fully fit and then to declare himself available for selection.
"Brett Lee and Bradley Hogg are the veterans in the team and provide a pleasing blend of experience with the youth and relative inexperience in the squad. Brad Hogg's bowling has been outstanding and his case for inclusion was compelling. He has had a real impact in the BBL in recent weeks."
Australia: George Bailey (captain), David Warner, Travis Birt, Dan Christian, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Hogg, David Hussey, Brett Lee, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Clint McKay, Matthew Wade.
