Cricket Australia has announced its 13-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against Pakistan, starting on November 14.
The squad sees the return of pace trio Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, and Spencer Johnson from injury while resting their Test players ahead of the crucial India series. Meanwhile, the selection committee has yet to announce the captain as recent T20I captains Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are unavailable.
The three-match series, scheduled to begin in Brisbane and be followed by matches in Sydney (November 16) and Hobart (November 18), is a good opportunity for Australia to test its depth with several key players absent.
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They just cross over a little bit in terms of the preparation: George Bailey
Interestingly, the series is set to conclude just four days before the first Test against India in Perth, which has led to the resting of the Test players. Chairman of selectors George Bailey explained the reasoning behind the separation of squads.
"They just cross over a little bit in terms of the preparation. The Test squad will be arriving in Perth and sort of finalizing their Test prep around the time of that second T20. We've been really clear that we are prioritizing the preparation for individuals around the Test summer and that'll be the first time that we get that group together. So rather than switching guys in and out and it becoming quite messy, it was just deemed more appropriate for a number of reasons to separate them out," Bailey said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
The squad also sees the return of bowling firepower with Bartlett (side strain), Ellis (hamstring), and Johnson all recovering from injuries sustained during the UK tour. Johnson has already made his return to domestic cricket, while Bartlett and Ellis are expected to be match-fit for the series opener.
The batting lineup is set to feature the opening combination of Matthew Short and Jake Fraser-McGurk, with Glenn Maxwell returning to the fray after being rested from the T20I leg of the UK tour. For the leadership role, there are several candidates including BBL captains Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Short, and Aaron Hardie in contention, alongside Josh Inglis.
The series will also see changes in the coaching department, with assistant coach Andre Borovec taking charge as head coach Andrew McDonald, batting coach Michael Di Venuto, and bowling coach Daniel Vettori preparing for the India Test series. Former Australian batter Brad Hodge joins as an assistant coach.
Australia's T20I squad vs Pakistan:
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