Cameron Bancroft: Have learned to be true to myself

Australian wicket-keeper batsman Cameron Bancroft who recently called in for the Ashes squad said that he learned to be true to himself, after returning from a nine-month suspension.

"Being serious about cricket is important. But I think it's also about being able to realise the game is just a game of cricket. One of the big lessons that I learned last year was about being true to yourself," ICC quoted Bancroft as saying.

The 26-year-old Bancroft, along with Steve Smith and David Warner were banned from the cricket for their part in the ball-tampering incident against South Africa in Test match at Cape Town.

Smith and Warner faced a one-year ban for the involvement in the sandpaper gate.

After serving his suspension, he joined Sheffield Shield and county cricket to keep playing cricket.

"I guess it was good motivation to keep working hard to keep training. It was a little bit of inspiration and motivation to keep my goals and myself focussed," Bancroft said.

Bancroft admitted that he made a mistake and said he will learn from it and move forward and get better.

"There is no doubt that I wasn't as true to myself as I could have been at times you learn from mistakes that you make, and you try and be better. At the end of the day, what you do and your actions are completely up to you. I made a mistake, and I'll learn from it and move forward and get better," he added.

Australia have not won an Ashes series in the UK since 2001. The team is the current Ashes-holder as they won the urn at home during the 2017-18 season.

National selection panel announced the following 17-man squad for the Ashes Tour of the UK:

Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

Australia will play against England in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on August 1.