Steve Smith can no longer travel for South Africa Series because of a wrist injury
Australia has made some changes to their cricket squad, with Ashton Turner being selected for the three T20Is and Marnus Labuschagne being added
Due to a wrist injury he sustained during the Ashes, Steven Smith will be unable to participate in Australia’s upcoming limited-overs tour of South Africa. However, he is expected to make a return for the ODIs in India as well as the World Cup. In his absence, Ashton Turner from Perth Scorchers has been chosen as his replacement for the T20Is, while Marnus Labuschagne has been added to the team for the ODIs.
Smith struggled with a left wrist problem, resulting from a tendon injury, throughout the England series. Currently, he is wearing a splint to assist in his recovery. Despite his impressive return to the Big Bash League last season and being selected for the T20Is against South Africa, Smith will be unavailable until Australia’s series against India commencing on September 22 in India, just prior to the World Cup.
Mitchell Starc will stay home to recover from a groin injury he sustained during the Ashes before joining the India series. Spencer Johnson, an uncapped left-arm quick who was selected for the T20 squad, will remain in South Africa for the ODIs.
Mitchell Marsh will lead the team as captain for the South Africa ODIs, continuing his role from the T20I leg of the tour. Pat Cummins is set to join the squad during that series, but his participation is uncertain as he recovers from a wrist fracture.
According to George Bailey, the chair of selectors, the team has decided to take a cautious approach leading up to the World Cup due to the demanding Ashes series and World Test Championship. The squad’s priority is the World Cup, so it was determined, based on advice, that Steve and Mitchell will join the group in India once they are fully fit. They should be available for both the Indian ODI series and the World Cup warm-up fixture at that time.
Australia had already chosen a squad with some key players resting to manage their workload. Players like Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood, Cameron Green, and David Warner were not included in the T20Is due to their extensive participation in the recent England tour. Additionally, Ashton Agar is also absent from the squad due to a calf strain.
Glenn Maxwell is set to participate in the T20Is against South Africa starting on August 30. However, he will skip the five-match ODI series that follows to be present for the birth of his first child. Maxwell will then re-join Australia’s squad for three matches against India. Australia’s first World Cup match is scheduled for October 8, also against India.
Labuschagne’s selection for the ODI team is somewhat of a second chance for him, as he was notably left out of their World Cup squad. However, it is still unlikely that he will be part of that tournament.
Mitchell Marsh will take up the captaincy of the Australian T20I side in their upcoming series in South Africa. This comes after long-standing captain Aaron Finch retired following the 2022 T20 World Cup. It is important to note that Marsh will serve as an interim captain for this series, as Australia’s selectors have decided to delay a permanent appointment until a later date.
Although there was some discussion about Turner potentially becoming Finch’s successor, he has not represented Australia in any matches since the T20I tour of Bangladesh in 2021.
Despite his impressive performance in the BBL and being highly regarded as one of Australia’s best white-ball captains, having led Western Australia and Scorchers to four titles across the Marsh Cup and BBL in the last two seasons, he was replaced as a middle-order finisher for Australia. Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Matthew Wade took over that role. Josh Inglis also played as a specialist middle-order batter when Wade was on the team.
Inglis will continue to represent South Africa, as Wade was not chosen. However, Matthew Short has been selected for the tour ahead of Turner due to his impressive performance with both the bat and ball over the past year in domestic and franchise matches.
In mid-September, Turner was selected as part of the Australia A 50-over squad that will be facing New Zealand A in a three-match series in Queensland. He will be joined by Short in the squad.
Turner will be leaving the Hundred early next week. He has been playing for Manchester Originals and will immediately join the Australia squad in South Africa, where they are set to arrive on Wednesday.
During the T20 matches, Michael Di Venuto will be coaching alongside Clint McKay and Dan Marsh, who is an assistant coach for the Australian women’s team. This arrangement allows head coach Andrew McDonald to take a break before focusing on the ODIs.
