Burns included in Australia A four-day squad to face India A

Joe Burns, the dumped Australian Test opener, will get a timely opportunity for redemption after being named in Australia A's squad for the upcoming four-day matches against India A in Brisbane.

The 26-year- old was named vice-captain on Monday (August 29) for the first match starting September 8 before taking the reins as skipper from Peter Handscomb for the second and final game, which gets underway September 15.

Jackson Bird and Jon Holland, who both toured Sri Lanka during the Test series, are part of the squad for the second match. Burns enjoyed a breakout 2015-16 Australian summer where he scored three Test centuries and established an aggressive opening partnership with David Warner.

But the Queenslander struggled mightily in Sri Lanka, scoring just 34 runs in four innings during the opening two Tests before being dropped for the final Test in Colombo. His replacement Shaun Marsh scored a century, meaning Burns will likely struggle to be recalled into the Australian team for the summer's opening Test against South Africa in early November.

Rod Marsh, Australia's national selector, said the matches in Brisbane provided Burns with a welcome opportunity to rediscover his best. "Joe Burns will join both matches to give him further opportunity, and also have the chance to play a leadership role as vice-captain in the first match, then captain of the second," Marsh said. "Peter Handscomb proved himself in Australia A's victory over South Africa A in the longer format and will benefit from having a further leadership role in the first match before returning to Victoria to refresh ahead of the domestic season."

The winter series has been ongoing for the past month with Australia A winning two four-day matches against South A, while a Quadrangular one-day series, which features those two sides as well as India A and the National Performance Squad, is currently being played in Townsville and Mackay.

Other new faces to the Australia A squads from the matches against South Africa A include South Australian seamers Chadd Sayers and Kane Richardson, as well as Victorian opener Travis Dean.

Western Australian pair Hilton Cartwright and David Moody, and young Queensland batsman Sam Heazlett, also come into the four-day squad.

"We have seen some great performances from both Australia A and the National Performance Squad," Marsh said.

David Moody and Hilton Cartwright were not previously named in the wider Australia A squad, but due to call-ups to the national side, they now have an opportunity to impress in the final matches of the series.

"Travis (Dean) had a very impressive debut in the Sheffield Shield last season, and we are looking forward to seeing what he can produce," he added.

Bird, a tall paceman who has taken 21 wickets in five Tests, hasn't played Tests since taking a five-wicket haul against New Zealand in Christchurch earlier this year but could come into calculations for the South African series if he impresses against India A.

"This is also a good opportunity for Jackson to get some match bowling under his belt prior to the domestic season," Marsh said. "The final two matches of the series provides us a good chance to view other upcoming talent that we firmly believe deserve their selection and have the potential to be next in line to play at a national level.

"Those not named in these squads, who previously played in the four-day and one-day matches will now return to their states to allow for time to refresh ahead of the Matador Cup," he added.

Not returning from the four-day squad that faced South Africa A are Matt Renshaw, Joe Mennie, Chris Tremain, Jake Lehmann and Australia Twenty20 squad members Glenn Maxwell and Scott Boland.Handscomb, Cameron Bancroft, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Swespon and Dan Worrall will all play the first fixture only.

Australia A squad for the first match against India A (September 8):
Peter Handscomb (c), Joe Burns (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Travis Dean, David Moody, Kane Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Swepson, Beau Webster, Sam Whiteman, Dan Worrall.

Australia A squad for the second match against India A (September 15):
Joe Burns (c), Kurtis Patterson (vc), Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Travis Dean, Sam Heazlett, Jon Holland, David Moody, Kane Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Beau Webster, Sam Whiteman.