Australia Young Squad for Series against Scotland and England
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Australia's chief selector George Bailey announced on Monday that the upcoming UK tour in September presents a prime opportunity to introduce fresh talent into the national T20 team. Despite a disappointing exit from last month's T20 World Cup, Bailey believes the team retains a strong foundation and does not require a complete overhaul.
The 14-player squad for six T20 internationals against Scotland and England includes young prospects like Western Australia's Cooper Connolly and batting sensation Jake Fraser-McGurk, who is set to replace retired opener David Warner. Josh Inglis will assume full-time wicketkeeping duties, while Alex Carey remains a backup option for the ODI series against England.
Bailey expressed excitement about the potential of new players, including Matt Short, who will join the squad later due to personal commitments. Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins will miss the tour for load management ahead of a busy home summer, with Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell also skipping the T20 leg.
Nathan Ellis will lead the pace attack alongside Josh Hazlewood, while newcomers Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett will have opportunities to shine. Bailey emphasized the importance of the tour for developing new talent, stating, "This is a really important series for a number of guys who haven't had a great deal of opportunity yet."
Australia T20 Squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
T20 Fixtures:
- September 4: First T20 v Scotland, The Grange, Edinburgh
- September 6: Second T20 v Scotland, The Grange, Edinburgh
- September 7: Third T20 v Scotland, The Grange, Edinburgh
- September 11: First T20 v England, Rose Bowl, Southampton
- September 13: Second T20 v England, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
- September 15: Third T20 v England, Old Trafford, Manchester
Australia ODI Squad: Mitch Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa
ODI Fixtures:
- September 19: First ODI v England, Trent Bridge, Nottingham
- September 21: Second ODI v England, Headingley, Leeds
- September 24: Third ODI v England, Riverside, Chester-le-Street
- September 27: Fourth ODI v England, Lord's, London
- September 29: Fifth ODI v England, County Ground, Bristol