ODIs vs India: Pat Cummins misses out due to injury, Mitchell Marsh to lead

The high profile India-Australia ODI series later this month, which will see the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, will miss out on some sheen due to the absence of Pat Cummins who continues to recover from a lower back injury. Mitchell Marsh has been named the captain of the side for the series which starts on 19 October, and of the T20I series which follows.

There are two more major changes in the team. Middle-order batter Marnus Labuschagne, who played a grafter’s role in Australia’s 2023 ODI World Cup win, has been dropped from the side due to poor form. Furthermore, allrounder Glenn Maxwell has not been able to recover in time from his wrist fracture and has been left out of both the ODI and T20I squads. He is expected to make his return in the Big Bash League.

The Australian squad will not lack in firepower though as veteran left-arm quick Mitchell Starc and key batter Matt Short are among the inclusions. Starc only retired from T20I cricket last month, but the left-armer will return to the international fold to take on a full strength India.

Starc’s return is one of four changes to Australia’s ODI side that took on South Africa last month with Short, Matt Renshaw and Mitchel Owen also earning recalls to the side that lost the series 2-1 to the Proteas.

 The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis recalled after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.

Australia 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

Australia T20I 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

Schedule: First ODI: October 19, Perth
Second ODI: October 23, Adelaide
Third ODI: October 25, Sydney

First T20I: October 29, Canberra
Second T20I: October 31, Melbourne
Third T20I: November 2, Hobart
Fourth T20I: November 6, Gold Coast
Fifth T20I: November 8, Brisbane