I'm perplexed that the Aussie selectors think that Cummins, Starc, Lyon, et al, are getting good preparation  for the Ashes by playing Mickey Mouse cricket in India. They only bowl 4 over defensive spells!

The Shield has started with domestic cricketers using the Duke ball.

There has been a lot of discussion in local press led by erudite former Tassie and Aussie ODI fast bowler, Brett Geeves, about Matt Wade and Jackson Bird being overlooked, despite consistent FC performances over time.

Bird had one poor game on an unresponsive MCG pitch last year for Aus, whilst Hazlewood and a poor year, with poor figures and performances. Conversely, Bird has 34 wickets from 9 tests.

Geeves claims Bird isn't perceived as fast enough, bowling 130 kph, and, Wade has perceived issues over  his feisty attitude on the pitch. 

Erudite Brett Geeves. Parochial too.. given both are Tassie cricketers. Since Bird is 32.. and has played just 9 Tests since his debut in 2012.. he has not exactly set the world on fire.. 34 @30 is moderate.. a little over three wickets  a match.  That is well well below his fine FC record of 328 @24. I have always rated Jackson as among the top five seamers in the country but he needs to start reproducing figures similar to his 11 in last match if he is to usurp the seamers above him in the pecking order.

Wade has been smashing down the door in all formats this year. He also has had  a better than average past two Shield seasons.  So he is unlucky not to have at least made either the Sri Lankan series or the ODI side. Perhaps the selectors have been taking a look at his moderate at best performance while Australian keeper/batsman. He never at any time made a cast iron case to cement his place...either with the gloves or bat. 

I think it is a question with Wade he just doesn't have the innate talent as a batter to go to the next level in Test cricket at this stage of his career.

Then again Voges, Hussey, Hayden, Colin Miller and Rogers, all did well in their thirties as Test players, whilst playing little Test cricket under that age.

Players like Pucovski, Patterson and Sangha, appear to have innate talent.

Baggers, what do you think of the Aussie bowlers playing Mickey Mouse cricket, in India without the Duke ball in India, for Ashes preparation?

They could be playing Shield cricket with the Duke ball instead and have to bat or bowl for sustained spells.

I am with you DC. All our cricketers should be playing Shield cricket with the Ashes in mind. But seeing as tho CA regards mickey mouse/pyjama cricket.. call it what you will.. superior over Test cricket this one day series takes preference. I am thinking that as India is host does CA need BCCI permission to change the ball?

There is no white Dukes ball in use even in England for ODI. England uses a white Kookaburra. India uses an SG ball for both, which typically gives some lovely early swing. But like all white balls these days, it disappears early.

And CA is hardly daft for not wanting to avoid a CA total and utter failure at the World Cup. Australia has already slipt to 6th and if we're totally honest, WI looks in much better form given how they competed vs England and India (they looked arguably as good as NZ who are clinging onto 3rd spot just from SA).

While you may prefer the Ashes, the World Cup is the premier sporting event in global cricket, and Australia is hosting the WT20 in 2020 and hosted the last world cup. Australia does very nicely out of the ICC events. It actually has an obligation to take the World Cup's seriously. I mean you've won the most of them....

Trevors Hohns has given details about the selection of the Ashes squad. 
He has said the Ashes squad will be selected as late as possible, possibly less than two weeks before the Ashes squad.
He has also confirmed the Australia A tour will include 5 onde day matches and three 4 day matches. This confirms that Australia A will be the opponent for the England Lions, their A side which was previously not shown.
The A squad will inlcude one day players to cover for the world cup squad and Ashes squad hopefuls. It will be lead by Tim Paine and will quite likely include Head, Harris and Patterson. Head has previously played a lot of one day cricket so could be in the squad in both roles, but someone like Ashton Turner could be in the squad despite being no where near the test side. 
https://www.cricket.com.au/news/australia-england-ashes-squad-hohns-selection-world-cup-paine-head-patterson-harris/2019-03-16

List of Australia A fixtures, surely the final one.

June 20: Australia A v Northamptonshire (50-over)

June 23: Australia A v Derbyshire (50-over)

June 25: Australia A v Worcestershire (50-over)

June 30: Aus A v Gloucestershire (50-over)

July 2: Aus A v Gloucestershire (50-over)

July 7-10 Aus A v Sussex, Arundel

July 14-17: Australia A v England Lions, Canterbury

July 23-26: Australia v Australia A, Rose Bowl