Australia's white-ball cricket is set for a major shake-up as the selectors have opted to rest their star pace trio for the upcoming limited-overs tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood—arguably the most feared fast-bowling unit in world cricket—will sit out the series, giving the selectors a golden opportunity to blood some exciting new talent.
The headline news is the call-up of uncapped all-rounder Liam Scott and Under-19 World Cup captain Ollie Peake, who will both be donning the green and gold for the first time. Young batter Joel Davies has also earned his maiden senior selection for the T20 leg against Bangladesh. It's a bold move that signals Australia's intent to build depth ahead of next year's Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
Mitchell Marsh will lead the charge as captain across both tours, bringing his trademark aggression and all-round prowess to the helm. The squad will also feature some familiar faces returning from the Indian Premier League, with Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, and Xavier Bartlett joining the squad once their franchise commitments wrap up. Notably, veteran Glenn Maxwell has been left out entirely, raising eyebrows among fans.
Selection chairman George Bailey is clearly looking at the bigger picture. "It's always exciting to see new players get an opportunity to play international cricket and be a part of the national team," he said. "The blend of experienced players coupled with new or returning players will provide a nice mix for these subcontinent tours. Continuing to provide opportunities for players to develop across a broad range of conditions and experiences is important and will continue to be a focus over the next 18 months to two years."
For Cummins, Starc, and Hazlewood, this break is a strategic move to keep them fresh for the upcoming World Test Championship campaign, which resumes in August with a two-Test home series against Bangladesh. It's a smart rotation policy that ensures Australia's premier fast bowlers are firing on all cylinders when it matters most.
The action kicks off with three ODIs against Pakistan in Rawalpindi (May 30) and Lahore (June 2 and 4), before the squad heads to Bangladesh for three more ODIs in Dhaka (June 9, 11, and 14) and three T20 Internationals in Chattogram (June 17, 19, and 21).
Australia ODI squad for Pakistan: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Riley Meredith, Ollie Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Matthew Short, Billy Stanlake, Adam Zampa.
Australia ODI squad for Bangladesh: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Short.