New Delhi: Pat Cummins will be leading the Australian ODI squad for the upcoming three-match home series against Pakistan as announced by Cricket Australia (CA) on Monday. The series will be vital for a few players who are set to be a part of the Australian team in the upcoming Test summer which includes a five-Test affair against India as well. Pakistan will tour Australia for three ODIs and the same for the T20I series as well.
The squad very well includes the “Big Three” pace set up involving Cummins with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood as well. All three have a major part to play in Australia’s World Test Championship title defence. Another notable inclusion is young gun Jake-Fraser McGurk for whom the series is an open door to cementing his spot in the Australian team. However, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh weren’t included in the squad. The series will also serve as a final outing in the format before the all-important ICC Champions Trophy in February next year.
Why Head and Marsh aren’t in the squad?
According to a report in cricket.com.au, he is set to open the batting for Australia alongside Matthew Short who has been roped in as well. Both are replacements of veterans Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh who were unavailable for selection due to paternity leave. Head is expecting his second child in November while Marsh will become a parent for the first time.
Both Mitch Marsh and Travis Head were unavailable for selection due to paternity leave.
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) October 14, 2024
Meanwhile, Fraser-McGurk, who had an outstanding start to his international career, making his ODI debut against West Indies earlier this year, and his eventual heroics in the T20s with the IPL and other national duties, fell flat against Scotland last month with a string of poor scores.
Cummins to lead after ODI WC 2023
This will notably be Cummins’s next captaincy stint in the ODIs who will be leading the team after almost a year, having led the Aussies to ODI World Cup glory in 2023. Meanwhile, seniors like Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne are very well part of the squad along with all-rounders Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and leg spinner Adam Zampa. Alex Carey wasn’t picked in the squad as he prepares himself for the Test season which paved the way for Josh Inglis as the wicketkeeper for the series.
Cooper Connelly, who made his ODI and T20I debut in Australia’s September tour of the UK, retains his spot, and rising star all-rounder Aaron Hardie has also been roped in. Also in the squad is Sean Abbott who will act as a backup seamer. Australia had a major injury blow in the form of Cameron Green who was ruled out of action on Monday for a minimum six-month period due to undergoing surgery on his fractured back.
The first ODI will be played in Melbourne on November 4 followed by the second ODI in Adelaide on November 8. The third and final ODI is scheduled in Perth on November 10. The T20I series will begin on November 14.
Australia squad for Pakistan ODIs:
Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wk), Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan will tour Australia for a three-match ODI series and a subsequent T20I series and the hosts have dropped their 14-member squad for the ODIs which is again helmed by Pat Cummins. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
