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'Where's he going to bat?': Former Aussie captain questions selection as squad announced for Pakistan tour

7th February, 2022
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7th February, 2022
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Australia has named a strong squad for the first tour of Pakistan by an Australian team in 24 years, allaying concerns of a player boycott over safety.

The tour will feature three Test matches – starting on March 4 AEDT – followed by three ODIs and a T20 clash. The squad for the white ball cricket will be named at a later date.

Ashton Agar the only addition from the extended group of players that won the Ashes with Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis and Mitchell Swepson also named named in an 18-man squad.

The squad is: Pat Cummins (c), Ashton Agar, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

Jhye Richardson is the only significant name missing. His fitness is being managed after injuries suffered during the Ashes.

“This squad covers for all scenarios including the conditions given it has been such a long time since Australia was last in Pakistan,” selection chief George Bailey said in a statement.

“With several subcontinent tours and a one-day World Cup in India on the near horizon this is a great first up challenge for the group after the successful home Ashes series.

“It’s also a very historic tour given the length of time since an Australian side last toured Pakistan.”

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However, former Australian captain Michael Clarke was perplexed by the inclusion of out-of-form opener Marcus Harris. Harris was replaced by Usman Khawaja at the back end of the Ashes series and Clarke doesn’t understand why you’d have him as a replacement.

“Where is he going to bat?” Clarke said on the Big Sports Breakfast show.

“You’re not going to open with him. Khawaja is going to.”

“You’re only going to take one spare batsman. You’re not going to take an opening batter as your spare batter, that makes no sense to me at all.”

“If Uzzie is opening the batting now, I’d be selecting my spare batter as someone that is very good against spin bowling,” Clarke said.

The Australian Cricketers’ Association this week suggested players were considering their options due to security concerns in Pakistan, but those fears were unfounded.

Cricket Australia sent a delegation to Pakistan late last year to gauge if it was safe to tour and it was given the all clear.

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But Australian Cricketers Association CEO Todd Greenberg said “clearly there’s some anxiety about touring, and that’s perfectly natural given an Australian cricket team hasn’t toured Pakistan for almost 25 years.

“I think we’ll have a very full squad that will go.

“We may have one or two players that won’t be comfortable despite all of the advice and guidance that we provide, and that’s OK.

“Along with Cricket Australia, we’ll need to respect those players and give them our full support if they decide not to make this tour.”

Greenberg added the tour had a wider meaning.

“The players completely understand our contribution to the global game,” he said.

“We don’t have an expectation that we will sit here and expect teams to tour our country and not contribute ourselves.

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“There’s been an enormous amount of work on security detail and keeping players safe. That’s priority No.1.

“On top of that is all the COVID protocols and the biosecurity rules and regulations.”

The selection of Khawaja is a significant personal milestone for him. He was born in Pakistan, moving to Australia as a five-year-old but has never played there, with Australia’s most recent matches against them having taken place on neutral ground in the UAE.

Late last year the Queensland batsman said it was time for Australia to embrace a return to the country.

“There’s a lot of security. Heavy, heavy security. I’ve heard nothing but reports about people feeling safe,” Khawaja said.

“Even talking to the guys during the PSL about what it’s like…they would say the same thing to me ‘like 10 years ago, maybe not, but now 100 percent’.”

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