Off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli has put his case with the ball for a return to India for a Test debut in early 2027 with a strong performance for Australia A in Puducherry.
After India A chose to bat in the first unofficial Test between the two aspiring sides, Rocchiccioli took 3-72 from 18 overs as the home side reached 5-257 by stumps on day one.
The 28-year-old West Australian could come into contention when Australia picks their squad for the five-Test series in India starting on January 21.
Rocchiccioli insisted he was only thinking of the match he was playing in.
"Right now I'm just about playing cricket and performing well for the teams that I'm in, and that takes care of itself," he said.
"We've got some high quality spinners in Australia at the moment, and we also have a very strong Test team, so my focus is only what's in front of me. That's coming back out tomorrow and finishing this innings."
Nevertheless, should Australia opt to play three spinners, Rocchiccioli could be vying with his Australia A teammate Todd Murphy for a starting spot alongside Nathan Lyon and Matt Kuhnemann.
As Murphy ended with 1-59 from 26 overs against India A on Tuesday, Rocchiccioli looked at home in Indian conditions in taking three key wickets.
He first snared Shaik Rasheed (16) caught and bowled when the No.4 tried to drive a lofted ball which fell sharply on him, with Rocchiccioli diving to his right to take the chance one-handed.
He removed next man Yash Rathod for one when the left-hander prodded at a drifting ball and offered a catch to Australia A captain Peter Handscomb at short leg.
Opener Sai Sudharsan was Rocchiccioli’s next victim as the fifth wicket to fall, after he’d looked well set in moving to 57 off 103 balls.
Sudharsan mis-hit an attempted leg-side flick to a ball that held up slightly, with Rocchiccioli moving well to take another chance with his right hand.
Batters Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney and quick Brendan Doggett are among others trying to push their Test claims in Puducherry, south of Chennai.
