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Australia make plenty of surprising changes in ODI squad to face India

4th January, 2019
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4th January, 2019
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Usman Khawaja will make his comeback to the Australian ODI side for their upcoming three-game series against India as one of a number of changes made by selectors.

Khawaja’s last ODI came against Pakistan nearly two years ago, but the left-hander will make his return to the national limited-overs setup for the India series, which begins on Saturday week at the SCG.

Australia’s premier batsman with Steve Smith and David Warner suspended, Khawaja missed the ODIs against South Africa late last year as he recovered from a knee injury, and his inclusion will bolster the side’s batting stocks.

While Khawaja is back in the side, there was no such luck for his big-hitting state teammate, Chris Lynn. Lynn, arguably the cleanest striker of the ball in the country, has been dropped just half a year out from the World Cup, with Peter Handscomb included in his place, a move that represents a shift away from a batting line-up stocked with explosive hitters.

With the pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood all set for a stint on the sidelines to rest during the one-dayers, Peter Siddle been handed a shock recall. Siddle hasn’t played an ODI in more than eight years, but has been in good white-ball form for the Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash.

Siddle will lead an inexperienced pace bowling line-up in the absence of Australia’s Test quicks. Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake and Jason Behrendorff are the three other seamers in the squad, but there’s far more experience in the spin department thanks to the inclusions of Nathan Lyon and Adam Zampa.

Nathan Coulter-Nile, a regular member of Australia’s white-ball squads when fit, has been left out of the squad on account of some lower back soreness.

Looking further up the batting order, captain Aaron Finch will open the batting, likely alongside Khawaja, and both Marsh brothers have also been selected, with Mitchell recalled as one of two vice-captains. The other, Alex Carey, has retained his place as the side’s wicketkeeper, and Melbourne Stars all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell have both kept their spots.

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There was no place for D’Arcy Short and Matthew Wade despite their excellent starts to the Big Bash season with the Hobart Hurricanes, and Travis Head and Ashton Agar – the latter of whom has found himself progressively further from the Australian sides over the past year or so – were both dropped.

Australian ODI squad for series vs India
Aaron Finch (c) (Victoria)
Usman Khawaja (Queensland)
Shaun Marsh (Western Australia)
Peter Handscomb (Victoria)
Glenn Maxwell (Victoria)
Marcus Stoinis (Western Australia)
Mitch Marsh (vc) (Western Australia)
Alex Carey (vc) (South Australia)
Jhye Richardson (Western Australia)
Billy Stanlake (Queensland)
Jason Behrendorff (Western Australia)
Peter Siddle (Victoria)
Nathan Lyon (New South Wales)
Adam Zampa (South Australia)

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