Friday 16 June 2017 11:08, UK
Pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has been ruled out as Australia confirmed their squad for the upcoming Test tour of Bangladesh on Friday, two years after their last visit was cancelled over security fears.
Despite appearing in Australia's disappointing ICC Champions Trophy campaign in June, Starc was left out after scans indicated his previous foot fracture, suffered in March, had not properly healed.
He will be rested to ensure he is ready for September's one-day series in India and the home Ashes series against England later in the year.
In 2015, the original tour in Bangladesh was cancelled after a spate of attacks by Islamic extremists in the Muslim-majority nation made the country unsafe.
But Cricket Australia executive general manager Pat Howard said Australia has received security assurances from Bangladesh's cricket board and government.
"We will continue to work with them to finalise plans but also monitor advice from government agencies and our own security advisers about the security risk," Howard said in a statement.
"Our number one priority will always be the safety and security of our players and support staff when travelling to any country."
The team was also announced despite a long-running revenue-sharing dispute between Cricket Australia and the players' union ahead of the expiry of their current deal on June 30.
"Selectors have chosen this Bangladesh squad irrespective and independent of the status of the MOU (memorandum of understanding)," said Howard.
"We are working towards a resolution being in place by 30 June and look forward to continuing to support these players to perform at their very best on the global stage."
The Australia squad will be increased to 14 players to allow selectors to add a replacement for Starc, with Ashton Agar chosen ahead of Steve O'Keefe as Nathan Lyon's spinning partner and all-rounder Hilton Cartwright also recalled.
Australia will arrive on August 18 and play a two-day tour match in Fatullah four days later. The two Tests against Bangladesh will be in Dhaka and Chittagong on August 27 and September 4.
Australia squad:
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Wade.
