Uncapped duo drafted into Australian squads in big shake-up as Test stars released for Ashes prep

Uncapped duo Mahli Beardman and Jack Edwards have been given surprise call-ups to the Australian squad, with a significant shake-up announced on Friday as several Test stars are released to prepare for the Ashes series with some red ball cricket.

As part of the announcement it was revealed that superstar all-rounder Glenn Maxwell is set to make his return from a fractured wrist to feature in the five-match T20 series against India, which follows the final ODI of the series to be played at the SCG on Saturday.

The veteran suffered the injury in September and has been sidelined since, but has been named among a series of changes to both the T20 and ODI squads.

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Maxwell has the third most T20I runs ever for Australia with 2833, sitting behind David Warner (3277) and Aaron Finch (3120).

The five-game T20 series will see a number of Aussies rotated, including 20-year-old West Australian quick Beardman, who has been named in the squad for games three through five, like Maxwell.

Josh Hazlewood will only play in the first two T20s and Sean Abbott in the first three, while Ben Dwarshius and Beardman will cover their departures.

Edwards, meanwhile, has been added to the ODI squad for the Sydney game on Friday.

As part of the squad shake-up, Marnus Labuschagne has been sent back to Shield duties after he was added to the ODI squad to cover the injured Cam Green.

The Queenslander has been dominating Shield, having made more runs than any other batsman, and is pressing for an Ashes return.

He has been replaced by Edwards, while Matt Kuhnemann has also been named.

Green will not return for the third ODI as he deals with low grade side soreness.

Australia have won the first two ODI matches, clinching the series in Adelaide on Thursday.

India will be hoping to turn things around and get some momentum back on their side, while Virat Kohli will need to improve after back-to-back ducks.

Then the T20s will get underway on October 29 in Canberra, running through to November 8.

Mitch Marsh will captain the T20 squad, with the likes of Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Mitchell Owen and Matthew Short among the batsman set to feature.

Adam Zampa, Kuhnemann, Hazlewood, Abbott, Nathan Ellis and Xavier Bartlett were named as the bowlers in the squad, with Dwarshius and Beardman now added.