Australia recall David Warner and Mitchell Marsh for the WTC final and Ashes
David Warner has been included in Australia’s squad for the WTC final and first two Ashes Tests but selectors have also called up Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw to keep their options at the top of the order. Warner was in a poor run of form until he was sidelined in India due to an elbow injury.
Cricket Australia announced a 17-man squad in which David Warner, Marcus Harris, Mitchell Marsh, and Josh Inglis have been recalled to Australia's squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and the first two-match of the Ashes series. However, there is no place for Sheffield Shield top-scorer Cameron Bancroft and its second-highest wicket-taker Michael Neser.
“He’s invested and wants to make sure that we finish off what’s been a really consistent couple of years on the Test front and help us win that World Test Championship, then shift that focus to the Ashes,” head selector George Bailey told reporters.
"The World Test Championship is the culmination of more than two years of consistent performance at Test level by the team and the individuals involved, leading into an Ashes series which is always highly anticipated," Bailey added. "The UK is a very different assignment from our most recent tour of India and some of the changes are based upon the conditions we are anticipating. Marcus, Josh, and Mitch return to the squad and will provide valuable depth and flexibility within their respective skill sets. We see value in revisiting the squad following the second Ashes Test given the short turnaround between the WTC Final and the first Ashes Test, along with the length of the tour.”
Harris has not played a Test match since the last Ashes series in 2021/22 after his place as Warner’s opening partner was taken by Usman Khawaja. Marsh, on the other hand, returned to the Test squad for the first time since the 2019 Ashes series as a backup to Cameron Green, while Inglis was also included as a backup wicketkeeper for Alex Carey.
Meanwhile, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Agar, and spinners Mitchell Swepson and Matt Kuhnemann were the players dropped from the squad that toured India in February and March.
Australia will depart for the UK in late May and will trim their squad to 15 as per ICC rules for the WTC Final. The WTC final against India will be played at The Oval from June 7, and the first Ashes Test will start at Edgbaston on June 20.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner.
Australia have named their squad for the WTC Final and first two Ashes Tests!#WTCFinal #Ashes
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) April 19, 2023