Bird hopes for Bangladesh call

Australia cricketer Jackson Bird is hoping for a spot in Australia squad for their Test tour of Bangladesh.

While the paceman has not played competitive cricket for six months, the right-arm fast bowler is hopeful he'll earn a late call-up for the upcoming Qantas Tour of Bangladesh.

Bird had been part of Australia Test squad during the tour of Sri Lanka and India. The quick also took 13 wickets in three Tests last Australia summer.

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson might get a call for the Bangladesh tour as well. The subcontinent pitches are favorable to spin bowlers and Bird remains in the dark about who would get the call.

While talking to The Unplayable Podcast, Bird said: "I haven't really heard much about selection at this stage.

"I'm assuming they'll make a decision this week. Fingers crossed I do get the nod.

"Hopefully selection goes my way, but it's out of my hands.

Bird confirmed that he has been called up to the Pre-Bangladesh tour camp to be held at Darwin on August 10.

Australia selectors had deliberately kept away from naming the 14th member of the Test squad for the Bangladesh tour. They were hoping to add another player to the squad after Australia A’s tour of South Africa.

However, they were robbed of auditioning quicks Jackson Bird, Jason Behrendorff, Chris Tremain and Chadd Sayers due to the boycott of the South Africa series by the cricketers.

"Yeah it hurts, it's always nice to be playing cricket," he said.

"I haven't played a game of cricket since the warm-up game against India A in February, so it's been quite a while since I've played any competitive cricket.

"It would have been nice to get another opportunity to push my claims for higher honours, but it was important from the playing group perspective that we stuck together with all the other players and did what was right for that.

"So it was completely understandable why we didn't go, but it was a bit disappointing that we couldn't go over there and push our claims."

Bird however concedes that it would be difficult for him to force his way into the final XI in the near future, when when all of Australia's 'Big Four' quicks are injury free.

"When those guys are fit, I'm definitely behind all those four," he said of Starc, Cummins, Pattinson and Josh Hazlewood. "I'd like to think that I'm the fifth fast bowler behind those four.

"If you're not in the side you have to be ready to go at all times in case there is an injury, which there often is with fast bowlers. You've just got to make sure that when you do get an opportunity, like I did last summer, you're ready to go and bowling well.

"With those four bowlers around, it'd pretty hard to get a spot in the final team because they're four of the best fast bowlers in the world.

"It's a good thing for Australian cricket to have them all fit and firing at the same time, but probably not a good thing for the other blokes behind them trying to get into the side."

Bird will likely have to impress the selectors during the eight day training camp in Darwin, which includes a three-day practice match if he is to make the Test squad for the Bangladesh tour.