Due to injuries, Australia’s Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Pat Cummins will not play against South Africa in the white-ball match. Marnus Labuschagne and Spencer Johnson have been added to the ODI roster, and Ashton Turner has been added to Australia’s T20I squad in their place.
Notably, Smith has been dealing with a tendon problem in his left wrist, which might keep him out of action for up to four weeks. Starc, meanwhile, was reported to have groin pain ever since getting back from the UK, when he took part in the Ashes 2023 Tests and the World Test Championship final.
Star pacer Cummins just revealed that he will not be participating in the South Africa trip in addition to Starc and Steve Smith since he is still healing from a wrist fracture. Mitchell Marsh, an all-around player, will serve as the team’s captain in Cummins’ absence.
Positively for the Aussies, Cummins is anticipated to be fit for the ODI portion of the series, and Smith and Mitchell Starc are anticipated to be ready for the forthcoming World Cup 2023, which is slated to start on October 5 in India.
In preparation for the major tournament in India, Australia is scheduled to play three T20 Internationals from August 30 to September 3 before taking part in a five-match ODI series from September 7 to September 17.
In preparation for the World Cup, we are adopting a cautious stance: George Bailey The recent WTC final and the Ashes 2023 have put a lot of pressure on the players, according to Australia’s national selection panel chair, George Bailey.
The group had a tremendous workload with the compressed Ashes series and the World Test Championship, thus George Bailey was quoted by Cricket.com.au as saying, “We are taking a conservative approach to the build-up to the World Cup.”
The World Cup being the squad’s top priority, it was decided that it would be best for Steve and Mitchell to join the group in India. By that time, he continued, “we expect them to be fully fit and available for the Indian ODI series, as well as the World Cup warm-up fixture.”
Changes to Australia’s T20I team
NOT IN: Steve Smith
ENTRANT: Ashton Turner
Changes to the Australia ODI team
STAYING OUT: Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc
Marnus Labuschagne and Spencer Johnson are included.
Australia T20I squad:
Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa
Australia ODI squad:
Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
India
