3 major takeaways from Australia's squad for 2024 T20 World Cup
On Wednesday (May 1), Cricket Australia (CA) announced the 15-member roster for the T20 World Cup 2024, which is set to be played next month. The four-week tournament will take place in the USA and the West Indies.
Veteran all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has been chosen as the leader of the side. Marsh has an impressive captaincy record of 7-1 in eight games and recently completed a 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Travis Head, who slammed 137 off 120 in the 2023 World Cup final, is set to open for the Men in Yellow along with David Warner.
Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell are the all-rounders while Matthew Wade and Josh Inglis are the wicket-keepers. Tim David is likely to be the specialist finisher for the Australian team.
The experience of bowlers like Pat Cummins Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa will be crucial for Australia to win their second T20 World Cup title. Interestingly, Ashton Agar, who last played a T20I in T20 World Cup 2022, finds himself in the squad as well.
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
On that note, let's check out the three major takeaways from Australia's squad for the T20 World Cup 2024.
#1 Selectors opt for experience over Jake Fraser-McGurk
Jake Fraser-McGurk has taken the Indian Premier League (IPL) by storm in the ongoing season. With knocks of 84, 65 and 55, his selection into the T20 World Cup squad was highly anticipated by the cricket fraternity and fans. In fact, he was touted to be partner Travis Head as an opener in the big-ticket event.
The 22-year-old made his ODI debut for Australia against West Indies earlier this year, slamming over 150 runs at a strike rate of 158.64 in Big Bash League 2023-24.
However, with the experience of Head, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh at the top, Fraser-McGurk would have to wait a little longer to make his T20I debut. Here's what the chief selector George Bailey told reporters on Fraser-McGurk's absence:
"His form's been great of late and that's fantastic, but the way we're functioning at the top of the order with the three guys we've had there has been really strong as well."
#2 Steve Smith not in the scheme of things in T20Is
Steve Smith has fallen out of favor with the selectors in T20Is due to his inconsistency and style of play.
The veteran batter's last five T20I innings are read - 4,11,19, 52 and 4. Moreover, with a strike rate of around 125, Smith doesn't fit into the scheme of things, with the middle order stacked with power hitters like Glenn Maxwell and Tim David.
In the last edition of the T20 World Cup, Smith featured in only one of the four games for Australia. However, he failed to perform as he was dismissed on 4 against Afghanistan.
#3 Mitchell Marsh to be Australia's long-time T20I captain
When the Australian squad for the T20 World Cup was announced, many felt it was a brave decision for the Australian Cricket Board to appoint Mitchell Marsh as the captain.
This is because the performances of the Australian team in their last T20I series against New Zealand under Marsh in February 2024 have gone under the radar.
The Men in Yellow dominated the Black Caps 3-0 on away soil, which would have certainly impressed the selectors. Marsh finished the series as Australia's second-highest scorer with 98 runs and also took two wickets. He slammed 77* off 50 balls in the 2021 T20 World Cup final against New Zealand and has been trusted by the selectors ever since.
With an all-round prowess, the 32-year-old is likely to be given a longer rope in the T20Is. Moreover, Marsh is certainly in the form of his life in the limited-overs formats. Notably, he slammed two centuries in the 2023 World Cup against Pakistan and Bangladesh.