The Australian team will be one of the favourites to win the ODI World Cup 2023 later this year in India. The Pat Cummins-led side has got experienced players in their side, who has ample amount of experience playing in Indian conditions. Australia is one of the most successful teams in the 50-over World Cup winning five championship titles including the 2015 championship in their home soil.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the dates and venues for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023. It is scheduled to be hosted by India From 5 October to 19 November 2023. Ten teams will participate in the tournament including defending champions England and heavyweights India and Pakistan.
The Australian team is on a roll in recent ICC trophies winning the 2021 T20 World Cup in Dubai and defeating mighty India in the recently concluded World Test Championship final in Kennington, Oval. Pat Cummins, David Warner, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, and Mitchell Starc would look to put in some match-winning performances, as this World Cup could probably be the last World Cup for many Australian stars.
Here is Australia’s Probable 15-men squad for ICC ODI World Cup 2023.
1. Openers -David Warner, Travis Head, And Mitchell Marsh
David Warner will be the primary opener for the Australian team going into the ODI World Cup 2023 and he will look to provide a great start to the Australian side. The Australian southpaw scored 647 runs in 10 innings in the 2019 ODI World Cup in England and was the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament. This 50-over World Cup would be the last one for the veteran as he might retire after the conclusion of the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA.
Travis Head will open with David Warner as his best position in the 50-over format, and he can build a formidable combination with Warner at the top. Head walked into the side to fill in the vacancy created by Aaron Finch’s one-day retirement and the southpaw is also capable of bowling in some off-spin in the middle overs.
Mitchell Marsh was the star performer for Australia in the three-match ODI series against India. The 31-year-old was awarded the Player of the Series for scoring 194 runs in three matches with an impressive strike rate of 132. The All-rounder has been in superb form against India which helped Australia claim an ODI series victory against India.
2. Middle Orders- Steve Smith And Marnus Labuschagne
Steve Smith has been an exceptional player for Australia across all three formats of the game and was an instrumental figure in Australia’s 2015 ODI World Cup triumph on home soil, scoring the winning boundary and their T20 World Cup victory in 2021. The veteran has become renowned as a big match for the Aussies in big games, providing some vital runs for the team in crucial moments of the game. He is expected to be the mainstay in the Australian middle order for the forthcoming marquee event in India.
Marnus Labuschagne is Australia’s batting mainstay alongside Steve Smith and can be a backup option in the Australian middle order in Subcontinental conditions. The Australian batter’s calm and composed personality makes him a favourite in and outside the Australian camp. The 29-year-old is likely to be looking to make it into the Australia squad for ODI World Cup later this year.
3. Wicket-keepers – Alex Carey And Josh Inglis
Alex Carey has been a vital cog in the Australian white ball setup and even kept wickets for the team at the 2019 ICC World Cup. The Southpaw played a pivotal role in the World Test Championship final against India in the Oval scoring useful runs batting down the order and he is expected to be the primary wicket-keeper for Aussies going into the mega event in India.
Josh Inglis will most likely take up the role of the backup wicket-keeper batter in the side, being part of the 2021 T20 World Cup and 2023 World Test Championship victory. The Right-handed batter has shown the versatility to bat at different positions in the batting order and can take on the spinner in the middle overs of the game to provide impetus to the Australian innings when provided an opportunity.
4. All-Rounders- Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis And Cameron Green
Glenn Maxwell will be a key player for Australia in the ODI World Cup later this year in India, as he is one of the quickest-scoring batters against spin bowling and can demolish the opposition bowling attack at this stage of the innings. He can also bowl in some crucial 0ff-spin in the middle overs of the game and pick up wickets for his team.
Marcus Stoinis will be another player to watch out for in the Aussies team, as he played exceedingly well in the Indian conditions, he can take on pacers and spinner at ease and he also chips in with a few overs in the middle if there is a favourable matchup. The hard-hitting all-rounder will play the role of the finisher in the team alongside Maxwell and Carey in the lower order.
Exciting youngster Cameron Green is expected to be part of the squad for the World Cup in India, as he showed tremendous potential to represent the country in all three formats of the game.
The 23-year-old has been touted to be the next big thing in International Cricket with his ability to contribute in all three formats. He fetched an INR 17.50 crore bid from the Mumbai Indians ahead of IPL 2023 and made some useful contributions to five-time champions in the 2023 season and will look to continue fine form going into the World Cup.
5. Spinners – Ashton Agar And Adam Zampa
Ashton Agar will be the first-choice left-arm spinner for Australia for the ODI World Cup later this year, as he has done decently well for the Australian team in the white ball format and he was also part of the Australia World Cup winning squad in the 2021 T20 World Cup. He is also capable of contributing his bit in the batting department.
Adam Zampa is one of the best leg-spinners in limited-overs cricket at present. Zampa put the brakes on the run flow and provided breakthroughs for the Aussies in white-ball cricket, as he can be a dangerous bowler to play in the sub-continental conditions which usually has some assistance for the spinners. He also lead the way in Australia’s triumph at the T20 World Cup in 2021.
6. Fast Bowlers – Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, And Josh Hazelwood
Pat Cummins has established himself as one of the modern greats in International Cricket winning the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup,2021 ICC T20 World Cup, and 2023 World Test Championship as a player. He will be leading the Australian team in the mega and he is a much more mature cricketer who can bowl at real speed and also comes in handy with the bat.
Mitchell Starc will be another pacer in the team, who has done exceedingly well for the Australian team recently as their primary new ball bowler. He is a bowler, who can dismantle the top order if there is a little help from the pitch. The Left arm pacer bowls mostly in the higher 140s and at that speed he swings the ball which makes him a dangerous bowler.
Josh Hazelwood will take up the role of the third pacer in the team, he has experience playing on Indian soil over the last two years for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and his experience can come in handy for the team in the crucial juncture of the event. He is one of the five players in the Australian team to win all three ICC championships in all three formats.