Australia, boasting five World Cup titles, has settled on a 15-player squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup in India this October and November. This final selection follows a pruning of the original 18-man preliminary list, meaning Aaron Hardie, Nathan Ellis, and Tanveer Sangha didn't make the cut. Marnus Labuschagne was also left out, with the team prioritizing different roles over his Test-centric skill set. The squad will be captained by Pat Cummins and features key players such as Steve Smith, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, along with Marcus Stoinis, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Cameron Green, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, and Josh Inglis.
Australia, the five-time World Cup champions, have announced their 15-man roster for the 2019 ODI World Cup, which will be held in India in October and November. It’s worth mentioning that Australia first announced an 18-player preliminary team, but they have now reduced it to 15, leaving out Aaron Hardie, Nathan Ellis, and Tanveer Sangha. Furthermore, Marnus Labuschagne, a Test cricket specialist, has been passed over for this important ICC event. Pat Cummins will captain the Australian side. Other players featuring in the squad are Steve Smith, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa, and Mitchell Starc.
Coming off a dominant performance in the 2021-2023 World Test Championship Final—where they outclassed India to take the title—Australia enters the 2023 World Cup with high morale. The multi-time champions will kick off their campaign with a high-stakes encounter against India on October 8 at the historic MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai.
Following their opener, Australia is scheduled to face South Africa on October 12 at Lucknow's Ekana International Stadium. To sharpen their form before the main event, the Australian side will first travel to India for a three-match ODI series starting September 22. Once the World Cup wraps up, the two rivals will face off again in a five-match T20I series.
Key players including Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, and Mitchell Starc are sitting out the current limited-overs tour of South Africa to focus on their recovery and preparation for the October 5 start in India. Cummins is currently recovering from a hand fracture sustained during the Ashes, while Smith, Maxwell, and Starc are managing wrist, ankle, and groin injuries respectively.
Chief selector George Bailey mentioned that the door is still open for Cummins, Smith, Starc, and Maxwell to feature in the three-match ODI series against India starting September 22. All four athletes are progressing well through their rehab programs and are expected to be match-ready soon. Bailey noted that since the final ICC squad deadline isn't until September 28, there is still plenty of time to evaluate their fitness through upcoming matches.