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Opinion
With the announcement of the squad to take on New Zealand in the upcoming T20 series, the initial 18-man team will need to be whittled down to a best XI.
The announcement of this squad and the completion of the home-and-away BBL10 matches provides a perfect early insight into what the starting XI could look like come 22 February.
Australia’s T20 side will be like no other, with the Test squad playing simultaneously against South Africa, meaning huge names like David Warner and Steve Smith will be unavailable to play against New Zealand, not to mention no coach Justin Langer.
Clear walk-ups to the team include all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, fast bowler Jhye Richardson and spin bowler Adam Zampa.
Glenn Maxwell (Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
Captain Aaron Finch will open the batting despite a horrid Big Bash season averaging just 13.77 from 13 innings. His most likely partner would be an international debutant in Josh Philippe, who was the leading Australian run-scorer in BBL10 with 454 runs from 14 innings.
Ben McDermott should make a return to the international arena as the second-highest run-scorer in BBL10 included in the 18-man squad behind Philippe. McDermott had a solid Big Bash season with 402 runs scored from 12 innings, including three 50s.
Despite underperforming in Australia’s Test summer and not being included in Australia’s Test squad against South Africa, Matthew Wade should return to T20 cricket with the gloves. Wade returned to the Hobart Hurricanes to play their three remaining matches of the season and found some form, averaging 35 with the bat with a strike rate of 187.5, including one 50.
The team will likely include several genuine all-rounders, including Maxwell and Daniel Sams, and then there’s the intriguing battle of Marcus Stoinis versus Mitch Marsh. Sams performed well in the T20 series last year against India and also had an impressive Big Bash season, giving him the green light to maintain his spot.
The Stoinis versus Marsh battle could well come down to who is fit to bowl given there are arguments each way for which player’s batting is superior. It is important to note that while Stoinis (396 runs from 13 innings, average of 33) scored more runs than Marsh in BBL10 (253 runs from 11 innings, average of 42.17), Stoinis was opening the batting, which he would not be doing in the international side, and he has struggled to score quickly from the start of his innings when batting in the middle order in the past.
Andrew Tye earns a recall after a solid Big Bash season for the Perth Scorchers with 17 wickets from 13 innings.
The No. 11 spot comes down to whether the selectors opt for a second spin option in Tanveer Sangha or a third genuine fast bowler in Riley Meredith, both uncapped T20 players. Sangha especially was a bolter for the squad and potentially the team.
Veteran Dan Christian is very unlucky not be included in the squad despite his outstanding season for the Sydney Sixers and his innate ability to close out games with bat or ball.
This is my take on what the likely XI will be come 22 February, though the order subject to change dependant on match situation.
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