How the Test squad impacts your BBL club

The announcement of Australia’s Test squad to face Sri Lanka and the selection of a strong CA XI to play in Hobart next week will have a flow-on effect on all eight KFC BBL franchises in the second half of the season.

With Australia’s ODI squad already away from BBL duty between January 8-18, the 11 players picked to play Sri Lanka in a tour match in Hobart are set to be unavailable for their BBL clubs between January 15-19.

And with Australia’s Test squad to gather in Brisbane on January 19 for a two-Test series that runs until February 5, BBL coaches will have to juggle players coming in and out of their squads.

As was the case during the recent Test series against India, there is a possibility that members of Australia’s Test squad may be made available during the Sri Lankan series if they aren’t picked in the Test XI.

And as always, all player availability for BBL matches will be handled on a player-by-player and club-by-club basis.

We take a look at how each club will be affected, with the matches listed those to be played between January 15 to February 5.

Click here for a club-by-club look at what Australia's ODI squad means for each BBL club

Adelaide Strikers

Jan 21 v Hurricanes (Home), Jan 23 v Stars (Away), Jan 29 v Sixers (Away), Jan 31 v Hurricanes (Away), Feb 3 v Heat (Home)

The Strikers will be without paceman Peter Siddle until at least February 5 following his selection in both the ODI and Test squads, while skipper Travis Head will play two matches during the ODI series before re-joining the Test squad. Paceman Michael Neser has been picked in the CA XI squad, but shouldn’t miss any BBL action due to a week-long gap between games for the Strikers.

Brisbane Heat

Jan 17 v Thunder (Home), Jan 20 v Sixers (Away), Jan 27 v Stars (Away), Jan 29 v Hurricanes (Away), Feb 1 v Scorchers (Home), Feb 3 v Strikers (Away)

Having been relatively unscathed by international selection so far this season, the Heat are set to be without batsmen Joe Burns, Matthew Renshaw and Marnus Labuschagne for some time after they were named in both the CA XI and Test squad. The trio have been in and out of the Heat’s middle order so far in this tournament and their absence will mean the likes of Sam Heazlett and Alex Ross are set to step up.

Hobart Hurricanes

Jan 18 v Scorchers (Away), Jan 21 v Strikers (Away), Jan 23 v Sixers (Away), Jan 29 v Heat (Home), Jan 31 v Strikers (Home)

The Hurricanes have been reasonably untouched by Wednesday’s announcement, with skipper Matthew Wade overlooked despite his red-hot form in the JLT Sheffield Shield. Young batsman Jake Doran, who is yet to play a game this season, will be unavailable for the away game against the Scorchers due to his selection in the CA XI while skipper Tim Paine will take a break between Test campaigns before rejoining his Test squad in Brisbane.

Melbourne Stars

Jan 19 v Renegades (Away), Jan 23 v Strikers (Home), Jan 27 v Heat (Home), Feb 3 v Scorchers (Away)

The Stars were hit hard by last week’s ODI squad announcement, but they’re set to be boosted by the returns of stars Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Peter Handscomb after the one-dayers. The trio are all in Australia’s ODI squad but have been overlooked from the Test squad, with Handscomb dropped despite playing three of the four Tests against India. Paceman Scott Boland was picked for the CA XI and is set to miss the derby with the Renegades on January 19, but should return for an important run of games leading into February.

Melbourne Renegades

Jan 16 v Sixers (Away), Jan 19 v Stars (Home), Jan 22 v Thunder (Away), Jan 28 v Scorchers (Away), Jan 30 v Thunder (Home)

Aaron Finch will no doubt be disappointed with his Test omission, but it means he’ll return to captain the Renegades once his ODI commitments are over. Finch will seemingly do a straight swap with Test opener Marcus Harris, who will return to the Gades this week before rejoining the Test squad in Brisbane. The Renegades will also lose paceman Chris Tremain and Jon Holland to the CA XI, but neither player has had much of an impact so far this BBL season.

Perth Scorchers

Jan 18 v Hurricanes (Home), Jan 24 v Thunder (Home), Jan 28 v Renegades (Home), Feb 1 v Heat (Away), Feb 3 v Stars (Home)

Arguably the biggest winners out of Wednesday’s announcements, the Scorchers don’t have a single player in either the Test or CA XI squads. Shaun and Mitchell Marsh should return for the home clash with the Thunder on January 24, once their ODI duties are over, to give the perennial success story a batting boost as they look to breathe life into their season.

Sydney Sixers

Jan 16 v Renegades (Home), Jan 20 v Heat (Home), Jan 23 v Hurricanes (Home), Jan 29 v Strikers (Home), Feb 2 v Thunder (Home)

The Sixers have again been relatively unaffected by Wednesday’s announcement, with Test and ODI spinner Nathan Lyon set to be unavailable until at least the end of the Sri Lankan Test series.

Sydney Thunder

Jan 17 v Heat (Away), Jan 22 v Renegades (Home), Jan 24 v Scorchers (Away), Jan 30 v Renegades (Away), Feb 2 v Sixers (Away)

The Thunder would have expected to be without Pat Cummins and Usman Khawaja for the Sri Lankans Tests, but they’ve also lost young batsmen Kurtis Patterson and Jason Sangha for their game against the Heat on January 17 due to the CA XI clash. Khawaja’s ODI selection means he won’t be available until after the Sri Lankan Tests, while Cummins has been told to rest ahead of the Gabba Test.