Australia has announced a 17-man squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final and first two matches of Ashes 2023. Pat-Cummins-led Australia will play India in the WTC final at the Oval in London from June 7. Team India lost the inaugural edition of the WTC Final in 2021 against New Zealand at Southampton.
Pat Cummins will return to lead the Australia team in England as he missed the last two Tests and the ODI series against India due to his mother’s illness and subsequent passing.
The Australian team has retained their underperforming David Warner for the WTC final and Ashes 2023. The 36-year-old form dipped following his brilliant double ton against South Africa in Melbourne, Warner managed to score just 26 runs in three innings in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 Test series in India before being ruled out in the final two tests.
Mitch Marsh is back in Australia's Test squad despite playing just one first-class match in the past two years. #WTCFinal #Ashes | @ARamseyCricket https://t.co/D0gVryq0dD
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) April 19, 2023
However, David Warner is backed to reclaim a spot at the top of the order for the WTC final. Marcus Haris has been picked up as a backup opener in the squad, with Steve Smith, Marcus Labuschagne, Travis Head and Alex Carey forming the middle order.
With English pitches favouring the Pacers, Australia has picked Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazelwood, Scott Boland, and all-rounder Cameron Green to form the fast-bowling group alongside their skipper Pat Cummins. Todd Murphy, who had an exceptional debut against India in BGT 2023, has retained his place in the side alongside Nathan Lyon.
“The World Test Championship is the culmination of more than two years of consistent performance at Test level by the team and the individuals involved, leading into an Ashes series which is always highly anticipated, The UK is a very different assignment from our most recent tour of India and some of the changes are based upon the conditions we are anticipating,” George Bailey said.
Marcus Harris And Mitchell Marsh Will Provide Depth To The Australia Team – George Bailey
George Bailey believes Marcus Harris and Mitchell Marsh will provide depth in the squad, with Marsh can provide all-around ability in the team, and said that the team’s performance will be assessed at the end of the second Ashes test and the squad for the remaining Ashes team will be announced.
“Marcus Josh and Mitch return to the squad and will provide valuable depth and flexibility within their respective skill sets. We see value in revisiting the squad following the second Ashes Test given the short turnaround between the WTC Final and the first Ashes Test, along with the length of the tour,” George Bailey added.