Australia announce squad for World T20, Steve Smith replaces Aaron Finch as captain
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Aaron Finch has been dumped as Australia's captain in the shortest form of the game and replaced by Test skipper Steve Smith just a month before the start of the World Twenty20.
Opener Finch, who has been struggling with a hamstring injury, was named captain in September 2014 but only skippered the side on six occasions as Australia concentrated on other forms of the game.
Finch remains in the 15-man squad released on Tuesday for the tournament in India. Selectors also sprang a surprise by dumping wicketkeeper Matthew Wade for test gloveman Peter Nevill, who has has never played any limited overs cricket for Australia.
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, who has never played any T20 cricket, was also named in the squad.
Experienced batsmen George Bailey and Shaun Marsh were ignored in favour of the in-form Usman Khawaja.
Australia have never won the World Twenty20 title in five previous attempts, their best finish coming in West Indies in 2010 when they lost to England in the final.
Squad:
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Andrew Tye, Shane Watson, Adam Zampa
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)