Aussies go to India for 3 ODIs (One Day International games) starting from January 14. The matches will be played in Mumbai, Rajkot and Bengaluru. To the surprise of many cricket fans both in India and Australia, big names like Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Nathan Lyon have been overlooked while Marnus Labuschagne has been called and is included in the squad.
This will be the first time in six months that the Aussies will be facing an international ODI fixture. Australia have made seven changes to their squad that played their last ODI in World Cup 2019. The 14-member team for the India tour has the Aussie All-rounder Marnus Labuschagne. He has been rewarded with the ODI call-up mainly on the back of his outstanding performance in his recent games.
Starting from January 14, Australia will be playing their first 50-overs format game since their World Cup semi-final loss to England in July 2019.
Australian One Day team skipper Aaron Finch will captain the side on this short tour without his coach Justin Langer, who will not be accompanying the team to India. The team will be in the hands of senior assistant coach Andrew McDonald instead.
Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Maxwell, Stoinis and Lyon, all part of Australia’s World Cup squad, have been dropped. Jason Behrendorff is unavailable due to injury.
All of these players will be playing in the Big Bash League (Australia’s IPL format) in their quest to regain their spot in the side.
Maxwell who has had mental health issues to deal with, has returned to Twenty20 cricket after taking six weeks off from the game. He had said week he was targeting a return to international cricket for the tour. And he has been in good form in the Big Bash games he has played.
“It is great to see Glenn Maxwell returning to the game in the Big Bash League,” head selector Trevor Hohns said.
“We will closely monitor his form after what would have been a disappointing 12 months in the one-day game by his standards.”
Labuschagne comes into the squad on the back of some fine form in test cricket with big centuries in his last three matches for Australia.
Also getting a chance to stake a claim for a spot in the middle order was Ashton Turner, who smashed a brilliant unbeaten 43-ball 84 to help Australia to victory during his debut one-day series in India early this year.
“We … believe Marnus Labuschagne is ready for his international white ball debut after his strong form for Queensland in this form of the game,” said Hohns.
“Ashton Turner has proven himself in India with his ability to adapt to local conditions.”
Adam Zampa has also been included in the squad despite the fact that he did not find a place as front-line spinner in the World Cup Australian squad. Nathan Lyon, who remains in the frame for future selection, will not tour to India.
Having won the chance to play against Pakistan more than five years ago, Sean Abbott may get another international go in the pace bowling unit – to possibly add a second one-day cap to his kitty.
Australian selectors seem keen to use the series as preparations for the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October 2020 as well as developing talent for the ODI World Cup in India in 2023.
Australia ODI Squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Similar Posts by The Author:
- Tollywood film stars in a Celebrity Cricket Carnival in Melbourne
- IPL 2024: Pat Cummins to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Cricketer S Sreesanth embroiled in a cheating case
- Finals made in Heaven: Australia to take on the mighty Indians on Sunday
- Balvinder Singh Sandhu attends India’s 1983 Cricket World Cup victory 40th Anniversary in Melbourne