The inclusion of the 30-year-old Tasmania seamer Fekete is more surprising but the Aussies needed another pace bowler following the decision to rest Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood.
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The 22-year-old says although he’s still got plenty to learn, he’s ready to play Test cricket.
Adam Voges has been named vice-captain in the injury-enforced absence of David Warner.
For me, winning away from home is something that Im looking for, Smith was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia website.
“(It’s) been really incredible for me since I’ve been in Bangladesh. “He was excited about his appointment as vice-captain and he’s bitterly disappointed he can’t make this tour”.
Lyon and O’Keefe will be the frontline spinners while the fast bowling department will be led by Starc and he will have Pat Cummins, Fekete and Peter Siddle for company.
Smith said Fekete was included due to his strong subcontinental form during the reserve squad’s recent tour of India.
Confirming the news, national selector Rodney Marsh said that it would be a good opportunity for Bancroft and Fekete to kick off their Test careers and establish them as the core of the side, Sport24 reported.
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In the off-season he was selected to tour India with Australia A, where he found the mark with his ability to find reverse swing on the subcontinent.
Bancroft, 22, is a patient opening batsman who last summer made a 13-hour 211 for Western Australia and his temperament should mean he is suited to the challenges of Test cricket. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the domestic Sheffield Shield competition previous year with 37 at an average of 24.10.
“He can bat for long periods of time… on that tour he played spin well, fielded brilliantly at bat-pad and his whole demeanour was that of a player who is determined to play Test cricket”. We didn’t even think of beating them at that time.
On O’Keefe’s selection ahead of Ashes tourist Fawad Ahmed, Marsh said: “Stephen did well on the A tour”. But we’re developing him and those sort of quick bowlers are very important to us. We’ve also go a really good group of coming through in the under-19 level who hopefully people will see in the U-19 world cup.
Steve O’Keefe, a distinguished left-arm spinner in the Sheffield Shield, and a man who has remained in the fringes of national selection in the last few years, is likely to be given to shoulder the responsibility as Nathan Lyon’s spinning partner in the dusty tracks of Bangladesh.
Australia are set to fly to Dhaka on September 28 for a two-Test series. Taskin and Rubel are part of the Bangladesh A team that will play three one-dayers and two three-day games in India from this week.
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The two match Test series between Bangladesh and Australia will get underway on 9th October with the first match scheduled in Chittagong.
