Top Aussie stars return for limited over series against India

Australia have brought back several key players for their upcoming white-ball series at home against India, signalling a strong intent ahead of next year’s ICC men’s T20 World Cup.

Seasoned pacer Mitchell Starc and dynamic batter Matt Short headline the inclusions in Australia’s ODI squad to face India later this month. Starc retired from T20I cricket last month, but the left-arm quick will return to international duty to take on a formidable Indian side featuring former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Advertisement

Starc’s comeback strengthens a pace attack that will still be without injured skipper Pat Cummins, with Mitch Marsh continuing as captain for both the ODI and T20I legs of the series starting October 19.

The left-armer’s inclusion is one of four changes from the squad that faced South Africa last month. Matt Renshaw, Mitchel Owen and Matt Short also return, while Aaron Hardie, Matthew Kuhnemann and Marnus Labuschagne have been left out.

Labuschagne will instead focus on four-day cricket for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield, preparing for the upcoming Ashes series against England later in the year.

Australia also announced a 14-player squad for the first two T20Is against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after missing the South Africa series.

The T20I leg will serve as a crucial testing ground for Australia’s combinations ahead of next year’s World Cup, and selection chair George Bailey hinted that further adjustments could be made to the squad for the latter part of the series.

“We have named a squad for the ODI series and first two games of the T20 series as there will be some management through the back end of the series as individuals prepare for the summer through Sheffield Shield cricket,” Bailey said.

“The majority of the T20 squad will remain together as it’s an important period in the build towards the World Cup next year, however we are trying to strike a balance to ensure we simultaneously prepare certain individuals for the Test series ahead,” he added.

The first ODI will be played in Perth on October 19, followed by two more 50-over matches in Adelaide (Oct 23) and Sydney (Oct 25). The five T20 Internationals will start after a three-day break in Canberra (Oct 29) followed by matches in Melbourne (Oct 31), Hobart (November 2), Gold Coast (Nov 6) and Brisbane (Nov 8), respectively.

Australia squads against India:

ODI: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

T20I (first two games): Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa