Liam Scott is the best-placed candidate because he offers the most useful blend of seam bowling and batting in the touring group. The 25-year-old has no Test cap, and rivals who do sit ahead of him. Australia A are in Puducherry preparing for the five-Test series that begins in Nagpur on 21 January 2027. His case rests on form, volume and a skill set suited to subcontinent conditions rather than reputation alone. That makes the next three List A games a live audition.
Liam Scott Australia A allrounder India tour
George Bailey said Cricket Australia sees these tours as important for developing game styles in subcontinent conditions and for players in contention for next year’s India group. Scott is in both the four-day and one-day squads, which gives him more chances to impress than most of his rivals for a place.
India A won the unofficial Test series 1-0, with the second match drawn in Puducherry on 2 October. Three List A games follow there on 6, 9 and 11 October. Each one is a chance to add to a case that already looks strong.
Shield Season Form That Earned the Call
Scott won the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield Player of the Season award by a single vote, 15 to Victoria’s Mitch Perry’s 14. He scored 496 runs at 41.33 and took 23 wickets, with a maiden first-class century against Tasmania and a best of 5-33 against Queensland, a season that combined volume with genuine wicket-taking threat. He was also One-Day Cup player of the season in 2024-25, so the award was no one-season fluke.
Format | Matches | Runs | Batting Average | Wickets | Bowling Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First-class | 39 | 1,650 | 27.96 | 79 | 28.32 |
List A | 21 | 467 | 42.45 | 16 | 33.06 |
ODI | 1 | 2 | 2.00 | 2 | 28.50 |
Big Bash League | 19 | 410 | 37.27 | 7 | 31.57 |
Career figures in the table are profile numbers and may not yet include the India A matches. His List A average of 42.45 stands out against a first-class mark of 27.96, so the one-day squad may be where he looks most comfortable. His 79 first-class wickets give selectors a meaningful sample to judge.
Bowling in Puducherry Conditions
In the first Test, on a surface that offered spin from day one, India A won by 162 runs. In the second, Scott, a right-arm pace bowler, was Australia A’s best bowler, taking 5-37 from 18 overs in India A’s second innings and six wickets in the match. A seamer topping the wickets on that kind of surface answers the main question about his suitability.
India A’s last pair still survived the final three overs for the draw. Captain Peter Handscomb said Australia A tried everything. That escape shows how close the visitors came to levelling the series, with Scott’s spell central to the push.
Rivals With Caps Ahead of Him
Cameron Green and Beau Webster are ahead of him, and both hold Test caps that Scott lacks. Green has 39 Tests, 1,920 runs and 39 wickets, including a century in Ahmedabad in March 2023, though his fitness is being assessed after an abdominal strain. Webster has 10 Tests, 469 runs and 11 wickets.
Allrounder | Batting Average | Bowling Average | Matches in Asia |
|---|---|---|---|
Liam Scott (first-class) | 27.96 | 28.32 | 2 (India A, 2026) |
Cameron Green (Tests) | 34.28 | 39.82 | Not confirmed |
Beau Webster (Tests) | 33.50 | 28.90 | Not confirmed |
A Test cap for Scott looks unlikely soon given their prominence. Green’s injury concern is the one variable that could change the picture. The averages in the table mix Test and first-class cricket, so they are not like-for-like.
Five Tests and What They Demand
The five Tests run from Nagpur on 21 January to Ahmedabad on 3 March, with Chennai, Guwahati and Ranchi in between. Coach Andrew McDonald said Australia will skip warm-up matches for an immersion camp, believing they have enough time to adapt, a plan that puts extra weight on players who arrive already familiar with local surfaces.
Long spells and runs at number six matter most there. Scott’s 18-over effort and Shield average suit that brief, which is why the Liam Scott Australia A allrounder India tour case holds up, though it still rests on volume of performances rather than a cap. At 25, he also has time on his side.
Should selectors reward Scott’s Shield form with a Test cap before Green’s fitness is settled? Share your view in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Liam Scott and which team does he play for?
Liam Scott is a 25-year-old right-handed batter and right-arm pace bowler from Sydney. He plays for South Australia and is touring with Australia A.
Is Liam Scott in the Australia Test squad?
No, he has no Test cap. He has played one ODI for Australia, against Bangladesh on 9 June 2026, scoring 2 runs and taking 2 wickets for an average of 28.50.
When is the Australia Test tour of India in 2027?
Five Tests run from 21 January to 3 March 2027, starting in Nagpur. Chennai, Guwahati and Ranchi host the middle matches before the series ends in Ahmedabad.
How did Liam Scott perform for Australia A in India?
He took 5-37 in the second unofficial Test, finishing with six wickets in the match. India A still won the unofficial Test series 1-0 after the draw in Puducherry on 2 October.
Who won the Sheffield Shield Player of the Season in 2025-26?
Liam Scott of South Australia won the award. He finished one vote ahead of Victoria’s Mitch Perry, 15 to 14, after scoring 496 runs and taking 23 wickets.