Melbourne, Oct 7: Fast bowler Mitchell Starc returned to the Australian ODI squad for the three-match home series against India starting on October 19 where Mitchell Marsh will continue to captain in the absence of Pat Cummins, who is recuperating from a back injury.
Starc, who retired from T20 internationals last month, sat out the home ODI series against South Africa in August after returning from the West Indies Test tour.
With his workload being carefully managed ahead of the Ashes, Starc last played an ODI in November 2024 in Adelaide against Pakistan.
Alongside uncapped batter Matthew Renshaw, Matt Short and Mitch Owen, Starc is one of four inclusions to Australia’s 15-strong ODI squad which lost 1-2 to the Proteas.
Short also missed the last series with a side strain and Owen was concussed in the T20I leg against South Africa.Marsh will continue to captain the ODI team in the absence of Cummins, who is continuing his recovery from lumbar bone stress in preparation for the Ashes.
The selectors also named a 14-member team under Marsh for the first two T20Is that follow the ODIs against India as the side continue their buildup to next year’s T20 World Cup.
Alex Carey will miss the first match of the ODI series in Perth to play the second round of Sheffield Shield against Queensland at the Adelaide Oval, having missed the opening game through his call-up to the New Zealand tour.
Josh Inglis comes back into the T20 squad following a minor calf injury along with Nathan Ellis who attended the birth of his first child. Glenn Maxwell is still unavailable due to the fracture he suffered to his wrist on the tour to New Zealand.Cameron Green will continue his preparation for the Test summer with Western Australia following the ODI leg of the Indian series.
Chair of Selectors George Bailey said: “We have named a squad for the ODI series and first two games of the T20 series as there will be some management through the back end of the series as individuals prepare for the summer through Sheffield Shield cricket.
“The majority of the T20 squad will remain together as it’s an important period in the build towards the World Cup next year, however we are trying to strike a balance to ensure we simultaneously prepare certain individuals for the Test series ahead.”
The first ODI will be played in Perth on October 19 while the second and third matches will be held on October 23 (Adelaide) and October 25 (Sydney).
After that, the five matches of the T20I series will be played on October 29 (Canberra), October 31 (Melbourne), November 2 (Hobart), November 6 (Gold Coast) and November 8 (Brisbane).
With the return of Mitchell Starc and the continuity of Mitchell Marsh’s leadership, Australia appear to have struck a careful balance between experience and experimentation ahead of a crucial home season. The upcoming ODI series against India, beginning October 19, will not only serve as a litmus test for the team’s readiness but also as a platform to assess how well the new combinations gel in pressure situations. While the selectors have consciously chosen to rotate key players in order to manage workloads, the inclusion of names like Matthew Renshaw and Mitch Owen suggests a desire to expand the talent pool ahead of a packed international calendar. For Starc, the series marks yet another comeback in a career marked by resilience, as the left-arm pacer looks to fine-tune his rhythm before the Ashes and possibly reclaim his mantle as Australia’s go-to strike bowler in white-ball cricket. Equally significant will be the performance of emerging players such as Matt Short, whose all-round abilities add valuable depth to the side. With Glenn Maxwell still recovering and senior pros like Cummins and Green focusing on long-format preparations, the spotlight will be on Marsh to guide a transitioning team through varying formats.(PTI)
Australia Squads
Australian ODI Squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa.
Australian T20 Squad (first two games): Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.
