Cricket Australia (CA) have announced their men’s squad for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Ashes 2023. The red-ball squad includes the likes of Marcus Harris, Mitchell Marsh, and Josh Inglis, who have been recalled to the national side.
However, despite being the top scorer in Sheffield Shield, Cameron Bancroft and the second-highest wicket-taker, Michael Neser, have not made the cut. Veteran opener David Warner, who had a tough time during his tour of India, has managed to retain his place in the squad.
It is worth mentioning that Harris scored two centuries during Victoria’s Shield season, where he accumulated a total of 601 runs. Still, he was a distance behind Bancroft, who amassed 945 runs at an outstanding average of 59.06, including four hundreds.
Meanwhile, Marsh played his last Test during the 2019 Ashes in England. He will serve as a backup all-round option to Cameron Green, who will be the primary all-rounder. Green’s role will be handy and supplement the four-person fast-bowling attack featuring Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland and Josh Hazlewood.
In order to prepare for the five-match Ashes series against England, which comes immediately after the WTC final against India, CA selector George Bailey said that the squad will be revisited ahead of the second Test match.
“Marcus (Harris), Josh (Inglis, reserve keeper) and Mitch (Marsh) return to the squad and will provide valuable depth and flexibility within their respective skillsets. 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,” said Bailey, as quoted by cricket.com.au
Australia’s squad for the WTC Final and Ashes: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner.
