Australia declares 17-member squad for the upcoming WTC final Against India at Edgebaston
Australia have started to show their hand for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against India after unveiling the group set to tackle the early stages of a bumper tour of England.
As Australia revealed a 17-player touring party, selections and omissions provide clues for their blueprint to beat India in the WTC final at The Oval, and their plan for the opening two Ashes Tests against England at Edgebaston and Lord’s.
Trio recalled as Australia name WTC final, Ashes squad
As expected, the national selection panel has retained the core line-up that carried Australia to the WTC Final against India through consistent performances over the past two years, with Marcus Harris included as the auxiliary opener behind David Warner and Usman Khawaja.
The squad includes four specialist quicks – captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland – supplemented by the seam bowling of allrounders Cameron Green and Marsh, as well as spin pair Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy.
Pat Cummins will return as captain and feature in a bowling group containing just three other specialist pacemen: Mitch Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland.
Cricket Australia selector George Bailey said touring Britain “is a very different assignment from our most recent tour of India and some of the changes are based upon the conditions we are anticipating.”
Australia’s World Test Championship (WTC) Final and Men’s Ashes squad:
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
The 17 players named today will then begin preparations for the first two Tests of the subsequent Ashes campaign at Edgbaston (June 16-20) and Lord’s (June 28-July 2) before selectors revise the group for the last three Ashes Tests at Headingley, Old Trafford and The Oval.
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