Photo Credit: Cricket Australia
The National Selection Panel has today named a 18-player squad for the Qantas Australian men’s white ball tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh.
The National Selection Panel has today named a 18-player squad for the Qantas Australian men’s white ball tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh.
Confirmation of the Qantas Australian men’s tours are subject to agreement on bio-security arrangements and relevant government approvals.
Australian squad for tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh:
Aaron Finch (c) (Victoria)
Ashton Agar (Western Australia)
Wes Agar (South Australia)
Jason Behrendorff (Western Australia)
Alex Carey (South Australia)
Dan Christian (New South Wales)
Josh Hazlewood (New South Wales)
Moises Henriques (New South Wales)
Mitchell Marsh (Western Australia)
Riley Meredith (Tasmania)
Ben McDermott (Tasmania)
Josh Philippe (Western Australia)
Mitchell Starc (New South Wales)
Mitchell Swepson (Queensland)
Ashton Turner (Western Australia)
Andrew Tye (Western Australia)
Matthew Wade (Tasmania)
Adam Zampa (New South Wales)
NB:Tasmania’s Nathan Ellis and New South Wales Tanveer Sangha will join the tour as travelling reserves and to further their international experience with an Australian squad.
Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner and Pat Cummins requested not to be considered for the tour for various reasons while Steve Smith has been rested to fully recover from an elbow complaint which flared during the Indian Premier League.
Trevor Hohns, National Selector, said: “We are naturally disappointed not to have all players available for the Australian team at this time however the NSP respects the decisions of those who have opted out of this tour.
“Steve Smith was unavailable for selection due to an elbow injury and will now be able to use this time to fully recover ahead of the World Cup and home Ashes Series. Steve was disappointed to miss the tour with the decision made on medical grounds.
“International tours in the time of Covid-19 undoubtedly present many additional challenges for athletes. They also present opportunities for others and, in this case, the chance to push for selection in the Australian men’s T20 World Cup squad later this year and beyond.
“This is a great chance for these players to make a case for the World Cup and all are considered very real prospects of making that tournament by performing well across these tours.”
Hohns said those brought into the squad deserved their opportunities.
“We are fortunate to have excellent depth in Australian cricket and we’re extremely excited by the inclusions of Wes Agar, Ben McDermott, Dan Christian and Ashton Turner to the squad.
“We are equally pleased to have Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Swepson back in the white ball squad having missed the recent tour of New Zealand through their selection in the Test squad for South Africa.
“Wes has been dominant in the Big Bash and we really like what he brings to the table on his debut Australian tour while Ben McDermott is a proven performer in white ball cricket as an explosive middle order batsman.
“Ashton has been on the international stage before with his ability to set up a game from the middle order. He also brings a lot of experience along with his deep knowledge of the game and leadership attributes as Scorchers captain.
“We are equally excited to welcome Dan Christian back into Australian colours with his wealth of global T20 experience, leadership and insight into the game. His ability as a strike weapon and batting closer is renowned around the world.
“To have the calibre and experience of those players returning along with those we are welcoming is a very good sign for the depth of Australian cricket.
“We are very much looking forward to competitive series against the West Indies, the defending T20 World Cup champions, and the ensuing tour of Bangladesh.”
Alex Kountouris, Head of Sports Science and Sports Medicine, said: “The pandemic is now into its second year and that has meant athletes and staff, particularly those who participate internationally, have spent lengthy periods in bio-secure hubs, where freedom of movement is restricted, and hard quarantine.
“CA has maintained from the start of the pandemic that we would support players or staff members through the additional demands placed upon them by hubs and quarantine.
“We look forward to a time when hubs and quarantines are things of the past, but for now we will continue to manage the situation as best we can with the wellbeing of our people at the forefront of our decision-making.”
Photo Credit: LinkedIn profile photo of Alex Kountouris
The squad is due to depart for the West Indies on June 28 for five T20 Internationals at Darren Sammy Stadium in St Lucia followed by three One-Day Internationals at Kensington Stadium in Barbados. If confirmed, the team will then play five T20 Internationals against Bangladesh in Bangladesh.
Name of Author: Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia (CA), formerly the Australian Cricket Board (ACB), is the governing body for cricket in Australia. Established in 1905 as the Australian Board of Control for International Cricket, CA manages all national teams, including Men’s, Women’s, and Youth sides, as well as other national teams. It oversees the organization of Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is, and coordinates home international fixtures.
