while Marnus Labuschagne faces exclusion from the one-day squad as selectors unveil an extended 18-man ODI World Cup roster.
In a surprising turn, Labuschagne’s ambitions for the World Cup appear dashed as he finds himself dropped from the 50-over team. Uncapped leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha and Western Australia’s versatile all-rounder Aaron Hardie have seized the opportunity to join the squad for the forthcoming tournament in India.
Cricket Australia’s announcement today presented an initial 18-player lineup for the ODI World Cup, set to be later trimmed to 15 participants. The squad will commence its journey with a series against South Africa in September.
A reshaped T20 squad with a strong representation from the Big Bash League has also been introduced for three matches in South Africa ahead of the ODI World Cup preparations. Prominent figures have been rested from the T20 format in preparation for the demanding one-day campaign.
Notably, Marnus Labuschagne, having played 30 of the team’s 38 matches since his debut in January 2020, has been omitted from the ODI squad. Labuschagne holds an average of 31.37.
The provisional ODI squad includes: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa. The squad will be streamlined to 15 for the ODI World Cup.
Despite a fractured wrist sidelining Pat Cummins for six weeks, he is set to rejoin the ODI squad in South Africa for preparation leading up to the India series. Mitchell Starc, recovering from a shoulder injury sustained during the Ashes, has been given the green light for the ODIs in South Africa.
Cummins, who captains the ODI team, has incurred “an undisplaced fracture of his left radius which requires six weeks of rehabilitation,” as confirmed by Australia’s selection chair George Bailey. Bailey noted that the enforced rest for Cummins could prove beneficial for his readiness ahead of the crucial World Cup campaign.
As no vice-captain has been designated for the ODI squad, the leadership responsibilities have been shouldered by players such as Hazlewood and Smith in the past.
The selection of Tanveer Sangha is a remarkable development, given his absence from top-tier cricket since last September due to a back stress fracture. This unexpected inclusion highlights his resurgence and potential impact on the World Cup.