In an expanded 23-man squad called Monday for a white-ball tour of the West Indies in July, Australia invited back their star players and selected four spinners. Aaron Finch will captain the team, which will include Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, David Warner, and Pat Cummins, who all skipped the recent trip to New Zealand. As the teams prepare for the T20 World Cup in India later this year, the tour begins on July 9 with the first of five Twenty20 internationals in St Lucia and concludes on July 24 with the last of three one-day internationals in Barbados.
Marnus Labuschagne, on the other hand, is unable to join the squad due to “logistical difficulties” of entering from the United Kingdom, which will need him to endure two weeks of quarantine.
“Marnus will be on this tour as a well-established participant and valuable part of the one-day side if we weren’t in the midst of a global pandemic,” said selector Trevor Hohns.
“It’s an unfortunate case among the world’s multiple problems right now.”
Mitch Swepson is one of three leg-spinners, along with Tanveer Sanga, 19, and Adam Zampa, both 19 years old. Ashton Agar, a left-arm spinner, was also named to a roster that will be reduced to 18 players before departure.
“Swepson has been in outstanding form in all three forms of the game,” Hohns said.
“Tanveer Sanga was a standout performer for the (Sydney) Thunder, and we hold him in high regard. Though he did not play in New Zealand, the chance for a young bowler to be around the squad was invaluable.”
After the visit to the West Indies, Cricket Australia said it was discussing the prospect of extending a trip to Bangladesh.
Australia squad:
Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Tanveer Sangha, D’Arcy Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.