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Cricket Australia's (CA) selection committee revealed the squads for the upcoming Test and ODI outings against West Indies in their home series on Wednesday, January 10. The series will kick off with two Tests against the West Indies, beginning on January 17 in Adelaide. This will be followed by a three-match ODI series against the visiting Caribbean team, starting on February 2 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Australia have decided to give their premier fast-bowling trio – Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc – a break for the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies. This move is part of a tactical plan aimed at managing the key players' workload. In the absence of bigwigs, Steve Smith will take the helm as the team's captain. The team management has also given all-rounder Mitchell Marsh some time off, while Marcus Stoinis, despite his recent triumph in India last November, is not included in the squad.
The team features Lance Morris, an uncapped fast bowler, suggesting he might make his debut in the series. Jhye Richardson makes a comeback to the Australian squad after being away since June 2022, rejoining the ODI team. Nathan Ellis, all-rounder Aaron Hardie, and top-order batsman Matthew Short are also included in the 13-player squad.
Travis Head will serve as Steve Smith's vice-captain, and the series is scheduled to begin on February 2 at the MCG. It will be followed by two more ODIs at the SCG and Manuka Oval in Canberra.
In a significant announcement, George Bailey, the chief selector, confirmed that Australia's star batter Smith will be opening the batting in the Tests. This decision comes in the wake of David Warner's departure from Test Cricket, sparking discussions about who would fill the left-hander's position at the top of the order.
"The squad strikes a balance between players continuing to make their mark on international cricket, playing alongside some of our most experienced players with an eye to the future in this format," said Bailey of the one-day squad.
Interestingly, following his teammate Warner's retirement, Steve Smith voiced his own interest in being the opening batsman for Test Cricket. At the same time, Matt Renshaw has rejoined the Test squad, although his involvement in the opening Test match against the West Indies in Adelaide remains uncertain.
Australia Test squad for West Indies series: Pat Cummins (capt), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchel Marsh, Matt Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.
Australia ODI squad for West Indies series: Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Lance Morris, Jhye Richardson, Matt Short, Adam Zampa.
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