Australia Drop Big Names For T20 World Cup, IPL Superstar Snubbed Too

Veteran batter Steve Smith, young batting sensation Jake Fraser-McGurk, experienced seamer Jason Behrendorff and all-rounder Matt Short all missed out as 2021 T20 World Cup champions named their squad for the marquee short-format tournament in the West Indies and the USA from June 1 onwards. Left-arm spinner Ashton Agar won a recall despite not having played a T20I since the last T20 World Cup on Australian soil in 2022, while all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green also earned a place in the final squad despite some indifferent form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), as per the ICC. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh will captain the side.

Selection chair George Bailey said he believed Australia has a well-balanced squad and is confident of a strong showing in the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup.

"This is an experienced squad with extensive World Cup experience that offers a variety of structures and covers the scenarios the panel believes will factor in the West Indies with the unique nature of the venues and our opponents," Bailey said, as quoted by the ICC.

"It is great to have Ashton Agar back in the squad following a spate of unfortunate and untimely injuries."

"We believe Ashton can play a critical role in this tournament along with Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Cam Green and Mitch Marsh in complementing our front-line attack options. The batting options available allow a tailored approach to each venue and opponent," he added.

Bailey noted that the squad size of 15 left many in-form players unlucky to miss selection.

"Steve Smith, Matt Short, Jason Behrendorff, Aaron Hardie, Spencer Johnson and Xavier Bartlett were all part of long conversations, along with several others, including Jake Fraser-McGurk,