Cricket Today Podcast – Episode 41, Wednesday 7 February – FRASER-MCGURK MANIA BEATS DIRE WINDS: 3rd ODI REVIEW! Cricket Today goes through a stunning ODI in which Australia destroyed the West Indies in record time, Xavier Bartlett made history and Jake Fraser-McGurk justified his selection. The panel looks at the crazy India vs England Test series, where India drew 1-1 after Bumrah and Stokes' embarrassing brilliance. The Yes/Nah signature finally appeared in the room as the panel discussed the just-selected Aussie T20 team, with the boys disgusted at the lack of respect for the BBL format. Cricket Today Liam 'Stats Guy' McAllion, Marcos Bazzano and Leo Mullally talk all things ODI, T20 and Test cricket!
Australia are set to play West Indies and New Zealand in the T20 series starting on Friday with some interesting team selections. Read on and listen to Cricket Today as they break down the entire T20 squad selected for Australia and where the selectors went wrong.
Australia T20 SQUAD vs West Indies and New Zealand
T20 international averages
The batsmen run
- Mitch Marsh – 33.5
- David Warner – 32.9
- Marcus Stoinis – 30.5
- Josh Inglis – 29.8
- Glenn Maxwell – 29.5
- Travis Head – 29.1
- Matt Wade – 27.3
- Steve Smith – 25.7
- Matt Short – 22.3
Average bowling
- Josh Hazlewood – 20.4
- Adam Zampa – 22.6
- Mitchell Starc – 22.9
- Pat Cummins – 24.5
- Spencer Johnson –
Same old side
Unlike the Aussie ODI squad which has had four debutants over the past few weeks, there is only one new player in this T20 squad that has just been named, with plenty of old names out of form.
Tim David was very poor in the last BBL13 season, averaging just 16 with the bat and a top score of 27 in the nine matches.
Similar to Marcus Stoinis who averaged just 24 in the Big Bash and is no longer bowling much due to multiple back injuries, yet these types of players are being picked up by strong form from a few years ago.
Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have been selected, but they are players certainly suited to the longer formats and the Australians have had success without them, and they have not been included in T20 squads since 2022.
Marcos Bazzano stated on the Cricket Today Podcast that he was surprised by their selection “Starc and Hazlewood are very good Test and ODI players but they don't have the amount of variable deliveries needed for T20 cricket.”
Australian batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk plays a shot against West Indies in an ODI. Photograph: Saeed Khan/AFP
There is no room for a new wave
George Bailey has selected the Australian T20 squad to build and draft the right squad for the T20 World Cup later in the year, but without some of the country's best youngsters on this list, it will be difficult for the Aussies to compete for. the cup.
Liam 'Stats Guy' McAllion was enthusiastic about the selections, “I think the selectors are out of their minds… The difference between Sheffield Shield and Test is certainly a big step forward, but the Big Bash to a T20 International team is nowhere near that big.” From the jump.”
Players like Aaron Hardie, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Xavier Bartlett who were all in the BBL squad for the tournament were only selected in ODI and not T20 and even Jason Behrendorff, the 2023 T20 International Player of the Year, couldn't find a way.
It certainly looks like Australia are stubborn against this exciting new wave of players in the shortest format, but only time will tell if they have made the right decision here.
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