4 talking points from Australia's 2023 World Cup squad
Five-time champions Australia have become the first team to announce their 2023 World Cup squad. The Men in Yellow enter almost every edition of the World Cup as favorites, given the quality of cricketers they produce and their never-say-die attitude.
Led by Pat Cummins this time, Australia have named a provisional 18-man squad, headlined by two uncapped players, Tanveer Sangha and Aaron Hardie.
The preceding ODI series against South Africa and India will be critical as the squad will be reduced to 15 players ahead of the tournament in October.
Below are the most prominent discussion points from Australia's preliminary 18-man squad for the coveted trophy:
4) Packed with all-rounders:
It is difficult to look past the abundance of specialist all-rounders within the 18-player squad. The likes of Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, and Mitchell Marsh are good enough to fit in the eleven. Additionally, Aaron Hardie can give the selectors a headache if he utilizes the opportunities in the eight ODIs leading up to the 2023 World Cup.
While the advantages of including all-rounders in the XI are obvious, slotting in too many could lead to a lack of specialist batters. With sub-continent conditions demanding greater adaptability, it is questionable whether all-rounders can manoeuvre their teams through tricky situations and prevent batting collapses.
3) Is there room for only one of Mitchell Starc or Josh Hazlewood in the playing eleven?
While the ODIs in South Africa can be the stage to play both Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, the combination could look very different in the sub-continent. With Cummins as captain and Starc bowling the attacking line to get wickets with the new ball, Hazlewood might miss out.
While Hazlewood remains a tempting option, Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis have been impressive as well. Both Abbott and Ellis stood up with telling performances in the absence of Cummins and Hazlewood during Australia's ODI series win in India this year. Abbott's proficiency with the bat could also play in his favor if the decision comes down to one of him or Hazlewood.
2) Marnus Labuschagne's axing leaves room for only one anchor in the line-up:
Marnus Labuschagne's ODI career got off to a promising start but has stalled in recent months. Since the 29-year-old's defiant half-century against New Zealand in their series decider last year, his scores have been 4, 58, 8*, 15, 28. He failed twice in India despite the tailormade situations. Hence, the inconsistency factor cited by chief selector George Bailey wasn't entirely unreasonable.
That leaves Steve Smith as the only anchor in the batting line-up and makes his role all the more significant, with the remaining batters either hard-hitters or finishers. The former Australian captain arguably had one of his best years in ODI cricket last year and would be keen to win another 50-over World Cup in what could be his final edition.
1) Who will be the second spinner alongside Adam Zampa?
Like Nathan Lyon in Tests, Adam Zampa is the indispensable member of the Aussie bowling attack in white-ball cricket. Zampa cemented himself as a crucial member of the side ahead of the 2019 World Cup, but had an underwhelming tournament.
However, with significant experience in the sub-continent, Zampa has become a bankable performer. Nevertheless, the burning question is who will be the second spinner in the line-up. Ashton Agar has made a compelling case for himself during his solitary outing in India earlier this year.
But storming into the mix is Tanveer Sangha, the 21-year-old leggie who should get a handful of opportunities to showcase his mettle. Agar might edge Sangha even if the latter manages to make an impression.
Agar's batting nous gives him the upper hand, while Australia may be wary of choosing two leg-spinners in the same eleven.