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.”
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.
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.
“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’.”
Tony
Roar Guru
Marsh is always in cracking white ball form. It's the red ball form that continues to disappoint.
jameswm
Roar Guru
The squad got picked without him having that chance. Yes the selection is on faith to an extent.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Why? Marsh was in cracking white ball form, and hadn't had the chance to play red ball cricket. Ask the guys in the team - they would have backed him to do well if he got called up during the Ashes.
jameswm
Roar Guru
You really think Wildermuth is going to do better than Mitch Marsh?
matth
Roar Guru
I’d like it to be true. He’s seems to have the temperament
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Inglis is the best but Whiteman is my favourite. Still a possibility as Test opener.
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
Well I'll let you choose the keeper in this dream team, Don. It's only fair
Pierro
Roar Rookie
the connection sounds the same as me and my dad and he's 79 . English humor and sport the biggest ones . throw in a like of animals and mother nature . not much other talk rowdy
Pierro
Roar Rookie
what a work out rowdy . you did well to make it through that mate .
Pierro
Roar Rookie
they certainly have an openers dilemma still matt as they can’t rely on warner abroad although maybe Pakistan or Sri Lanka may suit him but most other places won’t . we are about to find out . he shouldnt go to the UK again
Pierro
Roar Rookie
sadly it will take a dour series or two from him to get rid of him on foreign soil
Clear as mud
Guest
Phew. He should open for the rest of the Shield. Queensland should back him in. Burns can take USsie's spot at 4 or 5, or Marny's at 3.
Clear as mud
Guest
The greatest river named after the greatest footy team. Had the great pleasure to be up north for most of January. Truly dog's country.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
At times, yes. Well ahead of Steve Waugh at the same stage. Ussie had a terrible start. Like Ussie, Shaun Marsh, Trav Head, it's hard to establish a spot when you are in/out and in. Shield form is a strong indicator of ability. I have no problem with him being dropped but I love the fact the selectors see enough in his qualities to keep him. The social media imperative that "his career is over" or he "must never be around the team" is so limited in its reasoning. I get, when players are heading into middle/late 30s but late 20s/early30s is prime time.
Cam
Roar Rookie
There has been this perception that Pakistan wickets will be spinner friendly, but apparently that will be a Subcontinent myth. If we look at traditional spinning wickets, firstly Sri Lankan, spinners take almost three times as many wickets as the quicks and at a better average and strike rate. Recent history in India shows spinners taking much more wickets than pace bowling (258 to 150). But looking at the test matches played back in Pakistan since 2019, fast bowlers have taken 89 wickets at an average of just under 30 compared to 48 wickets from spinners at an average nudging 40, which is almost 2 to 1 for the quicks. If I can pinch a comment from former Test and ODI batter Bazid Khan, who was a commentator during all five Tests “Pakistan is totally different to India. The ball is not going to spin straight away and mostly the wickets have been taken by the faster men rather than the spinners. I think if you don’t have two world-class spinners, you don’t play them here. That would play into Pakistan’s hands because they like playing spin, and it’s not like Dubai or Abu Dhabi on the fifth day where the ball is going to spin square. It’s not going to happen. That subcontinent theory, I don’t think it works in Pakistan”.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
WA has 3 keeper batsmen who are better batsmen than Bancroft: Whiteman, Philippe and Inglis. All better keepers too.
U
Roar Rookie
Yeah your man Harris has really been test level huh?
Choppy Zezers
Roar Rookie
My absolute dream team that will never ever be picked: Pucovski or M Marsh (once Warner is tapped out) Maddinson Labuschsagne Smith (or Head) Maxwell Jolly Green Giant Agar Bancroft (w/k) Starc (or someone else from NSW. Anyone else from NSW) Cummins Hazlewood (or Richardson) Hey, it's my dream team. I can open with Marsh if I want. And Bancroft at keeper. Don't be hatin. And this would either score 450 in a day or be rolled for 47 before lunch. But it'd be great for Roar threads and team speculation.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Marsh is not an all rounder. He is a genuine batsman who has bowling as an extra string. He is now a top order batsman, not that fledgling we saw 5 years ago.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I think Agar will begin quite a long Test career on this tour. He's becoming quite a special bowler. Daniel Vettori with more tricks. Plus the batting and fielding.