The modification represents the only adjustment to the original squad, as Australia aims to bolster its lineup for the upcoming tournament.
Cricket Australia has made a crucial change to their 15-man World Cup squad, replacing the injured Ashton Agar with the talented Marnus Labuschagne. This modification represents the only adjustment to the original squad, as Australia aims to bolster their lineup for the upcoming tournament. Additionally, explosive batsman Travis Head retains his spot in the squad despite facing his own injury concerns, with hopes of his availability later in the competition.
The revised squad now stands as follows: Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Marsh, David Warner, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, and Adam Zampa.
Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar had initially been named as one of the primary spinners in the preliminary squad announced on September 6. However, a calf injury during the South Africa tour forced him to return home, where he also welcomed the birth of his first child. Subsequently, he missed the series in India.
Marnus Labuschagne, who was brought back into the squad for the ODIs in South Africa, demonstrated his worth by topping the run charts with an impressive 283 runs from five games at an average of 70.75. He continued his fine form in India, contributing an additional 138 runs from three games.
Despite suffering a fractured hand during the fourth ODI against South Africa, Travis Head has been retained in the squad, albeit with an acknowledgment that he may take some time to regain match readiness. Chief selector George Bailey explained, "This was a tough call, but unfortunately, we couldn't carry both Travis and Ashton into the tournament with the injuries they have. We have made the decision to carry Travis through the early stages with the aim of him being available around the mid-part of the tournament. He has been a really important player in this ODI team, and we are hopeful his return can provide a positive impetus as it gets to the business end of the tournament."
Bailey also provided an update on the rehabilitation progress of Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell, both of whom are on track for a return to action. "Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell are progressing well through the rehabilitation of their respective injuries, and it was pleasing to see them return to the playing eleven last night," he added.
In the meantime, Matt Short and Tanveer Sangha, who were part of the tour of India, will continue to be part of the squad until at least the conclusion of the warm-up matches. Australia's quest for a sixth ODI World Cup title begins with a clash against India in Chennai on October 8.
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 "This Australian batter replaces injured Agar in Australia's World Cup squad, check details")
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