Marnus Labuschagne is the only notable exclusion from the Australian cricket team for the five Twenty20 Internationals and three ODIs against West Indies.
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The Australian cricket team has welcomed some of their big names back for the West Indies tour in July. Aaron Finch will captain the team while the side will include three legspinners. Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa and Tanveer Sangha are the legspinners in the side. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood form a formidable pace trio.
The squad also has a bowling back-up. Jason Behrendorff, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Andrew Tye and Riley Meredith are also in the side. All these players played in the IPL 2021, barring Behrendorff. The left-arm pacer was picked by Chennai Super Kings. Before he could land a game, IPL 2021 was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Tanveer Sangha, who is an exciting prospect, was in the side for the New Zealand tour but did not play. Starc last played an ODI and T20I in the recent series against India. However, the 23-man squad is missing a few names.
However, the squad will not see Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green. Labuschagne is playing for Glamorgan and this logistical issue has reportedly made him upset. On the other hand, Green wanted to work on his bowling in the pre-season for Western Australia.
Labuschagne has played 13 ODIs, scoring 439 runs with three fifties and one century. In 18 Tests, Labuschagne has an average of 60. Although he has not played a T20I, he has impressed for the Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League. Apart from Labuschagne and Green, there is no place for Ashton Turner and Daniel Sams.
Speaking about the selection, chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said he felt sad for Labuschagne. “Anyone who knows Marnus understands he would give absolutely anything to play for Australia. He is deeply upset to miss out due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control. We worked through numerous options in conversations with Marnus to find a workable solution. Ultimately, we came to the conclusion it was more practical for him to remain in the UK. Had we not been in the middle of a global pandemic, Marnus would be on this tour,” Hohns said.
Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Tanveer Sangha, D’Arcy Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
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