Young Australian cricketers Jake Fraser-McGurk and Xavier Bartlett have been picked as replacements for Glenn Maxwell and Jhye Richardson in Australia’s ODI team to face the West Indies in the three-match ODI series. The series is scheduled to get underway on February 2. This will be Australia’s first ODI since their spectacular World Cup victory in November.
Glenn Maxwell follows other World Cup winners Pat Cummins, Mitch Marsh, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood as first-choice players who will miss the series against West Indies. Steve Smith will captain the side, with Travis Head acting as his deputy.
While Melbourne Renegades’ Fraser-McGurk replaces the rested Glenn Maxwell, who is expected to return for the T20I series, Brisbane Heat’s Xavier Bartlett replaces Kane Richardson, who had a side injury during the season.
Fraser-McGurk and Bartlett are both in line to make their international debuts in the three-match ODI series, which kicks off on February 2 in Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra. McGurk made news last year when he broke AB de Villiers’ record for the fastest List A century by hitting a 29-ball ton while playing domestic cricket in Australia.
Meanwhile, Bartlett is a right-arm pacer who has impressed in recent domestic white-ball events, as well as a few solid outings for Australia’s Under 19 team and Australia A versus New Zealand A last year.
With the first-choice pacers resting for the against West Indie series, uncapped Lance Morris has received his first call-up to the ODIs. The hosts have also named Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, and Matt Short to the ODI squad. Hardie and Short earned their ODI debuts last year and have performed well in the ongoing Big Bash League.
Matt Short is expected to open the batting in place of the recently retired David Warner and the rested Mitchell Marsh. Meanwhile, Josh Inglis is the only wicketkeeper in a squad that features Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, and Adam Zampa.
Australia ODI squad vs West Indies:
Steve Smith (captain), Travis Head (vice-captain), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Matt Short, Adam Zampa.