Melbourne: In-form batsman Marnus Labuschagne on Tuesday earned a maiden call-up to the Australian ODI squad for the three-match series against India next month following a prolific year in Test cricket.
Labuschagne has averaged 58.05 since making his Test debut last year, scoring hundreds in his last three games. All-rounder Sean Abbott has been recalled after five years while also making a comeback are pacer Josh Hazlewood and spinner Ashton Agar. The big names missing from the squad are Glenn Maxwell, Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh and Nathan Lyon. Chief selector Trevor Hohns said Maxwell, who took a break to address his mental health issues but is back now in domestic cricket, is being watched closely. “It’s great to see Maxwell returning to the game with the Big Bash League. We will closely monitor his form after what would have been a disappointing 12 months in the one-day game,” Hohns said. The Indian fans will also get to see David Warner and Steve Smith in action. The first ODI will be played in Mumbai on January 14, followed by Rajkot (January 17) and Bengaluru (January 19). (PTI)
