Mitchell Marsh named T20I skipper for Australia against West Indies

• Mitchell Marsh has been named Australia T20I captain.
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• He is likely to lead the Aussies at T20 World Cup too.
• Hazlewood has been called back to the squad.

Mitchell Marsh has been named the captain of the Australian cricket team for the upcoming three-match T20I series against West Indies. Marsh is also likely to lead the team in the T20 World Cup.

David Warner, Tim David, and Marcus Stoinis have been included in the squad but will need to return home from their franchise duties early. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Steven Smith have been rested, but all three are expected to be included in the squad for the T20I series in New Zealand in late February.

The selectors have not yet confirmed who will be Australia’s permanent T20I captain after Aaron Finch retired following the 2022 T20 World Cup. Marsh led an inexperienced team to a 3-0 triumph in South Africa before Matthew Wade took charge of a depleted team in India after the ODI World Cup triumph.

Marsh will captain on home soil for the first time and will have a very strong squad to work with. Smith will rest from the T20I series after captaining the ODI team in the three-match series against the West Indies in the week prior to the T20Is but he has stated that he expects to be in the squad for the T20I series.

“I want to be a part of it, as anyone would, I suppose,” Smith said on Wednesday. “I’ve had a few opportunities to open and obviously did it well in the Big Bash. It’s different to international cricket, I know, but I haven’t had a huge opportunity there. I’d certainly be interested, but we’ll wait and see.”

According to the news sources, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc are resting from all of the West Indies limited-overs matches after playing every home Test during the summer. Both are expected to play in the T20Is in New Zealand and two Test matches on the same tour but the selectors are mindful of their IPL workload thereafter ahead of the T20 World Cup.

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Despite taking a break from the ODIs, Josh Hazlewood has been added to the T20I team to play the West Indies. Hazlewood won’t have an IPL contract, so his only opportunity to play the format before the World Cup will be in the six games against the West Indies and New Zealand.

“We see these matches as an opportunity to narrow down on those who may be part of the T20 World Cup squad later this year,” Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey said. “There are a further three T20 internationals in New Zealand following this West Indies series where we will continue to build towards the T20 World Cup as required.

“It is likely we will use the block of six games to provide opportunity to players in some different roles and positions. We will then be keeping a close eye on the IPL before choosing a World Cup squad.”

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Warner has been recalled from the ILT20, while Tim David and Marcus Stoinis will leave their respective tournaments early. All three will be required back in Australia on February 7 with the first match of the series to be played in Hobart on February 9.

Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Marcus Stoinis, and the two wicketkeeper-batters Matthew Wade and Josh Inglis will form the backbone of Australia’s middle-order at the World Cup. Matthew Short has also been included in the squad and has a chance to be part of the World Cup given his form and skillset as a powerful, flexible batting option and a part-time offspinner. Travis Head is likely to open alongside Warner as they did in the ODI World Cup but Short could slot in at the top as well.

Australia have only named one spinner in Adam Zampa with Maxwell, Head, and Short to provide spin overs as well. Australia look likely to go to the T20 World Cup with just one specialist spinner again after winning the 2021 T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup last year with Zampa, Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood as the four specialist bowlers. Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, and Nathan Ellis have been picked as the next three pacemen behind the big three and they appear to be vying for the last spot in Australia’s first-choice 15 for the World Cup.

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