Australia has been forced to bring in reinforcement to bolster their T20I squad for the ongoing five-match series against India. India is 2-0 up in the series, having won both the first two matches comfortably.
Matthew Wade-led Australia was thumped by 44 runs as bowlers were plastered all over the Thiruvananthapuram ground as India posted 235/4 in 20 overs with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan scoring fifties. Then Rinku Singh hammered 31* in 9 balls to further lengthen the Australian bowlers’ misery.
Sean Abbott went for 56 runs in his 3 overs and other bowlers weren’t spared as well. Only Nathan Ellis starred with three wickets.
The addition of Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott, Marcus Stoinis, and Josh Inglis (plus traveling reserve Tanveer Sangha) to the World Cup trip has expanded the tour to enormous proportions, with Australia’s home season already well underway.
Prior to the World Cup, the bulk of the players had also participated in a white-ball tour to South Africa. After the tournament final, captain Pat Cummins, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Alex Carey, and Cameron Green returned home.
Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe And Chris Green To Travel To India For Remainder Of T20Is
Meanwhile, Cricket Australia acknowledging the fatigue faced by its players on such a long time being spent in India, has decided to provide some relief and has sent some reinforcements to India.
As per the Age report, Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, and Chris Green are among the newcomers to Australia’s beleaguered Twenty20 squad in India. CA refused to comment on which of Head, Smith, Maxwell, Zampa, Abbott, Stoinis, or Inglis will return home early on Monday.
Meanwhile, Smith has confirmed that he would play for the Sydney Sixers in their first Big Bash League game on December 8, before going to Perth to join the Test squad for the match against Pakistan.
With Australia’s World Cup-winning players still in India, the players would be unable to enjoy their victory at home. This contrasts with the elaborate ticker tape parades and public festivities lavished on past Australian teams for foreign victories including as the 1989 Ashes tour, the 1995 success in the West Indies, and the 1999 World Cup victory in England.
