Josh Inglis will make his international debut as Australia take on Sri Lanka in the first T20I of the five-match series at the SCG on Friday, February 11.
Inglis is all set to replace Mitch Marsh while Ben McDermott, the leading run-scorer of BBL 11, will open the batting along with skipper Aaron Finch as David Warner has been rested for the Sri Lanka series.
The rest of the XI is pretty much similar to the one that won the T20 World Cup last November in Dubai.
Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis will form the middle-order with Matthew Wade as the wicketkeeper. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are in the pace line up again, while Adam Zampa is the sole spinner in the final XI.
“Ben McDermott has been in unbelievable nick so to get him at the top of the order was really crucial for us. And Josh Inglis has been someone who has been shuffled around the order a little bit. (His selection) is a sign of how well he’s played over the last couple of years, but also how great he was around the group at the T20 World Cup,” said captain Finch while confirming the playing XI.
“He got the runs he would have liked throughout the Big Bash as he has done in the past. But he was playing slightly different roles. So it’s a great opportunity for him,” Finch added.
Travis Head will miss the series opener to represent South Australia in the Sheffield Shield but he will be available for the final two T20Is.
Australia XI:
Ben McDermott, Aaron Finch (c), Josh Inglis, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
