Australia had decided that the all-rounder Glenn Maxwell would return to the game after he had recovered from his wrist injury. That means he’ll be joining the T20 series against India.
This is a surprising announcement as Australia is making major squad changes mid-series, because Glenn Maxwell isn’t the only player added to the lineup. Another surprising addition was the young Western Australian fast bowler Mahli Beardman, who had received a call-up for a potential international debut with the Australian team.
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Australia’s Major Squad Changes
For fans who regularly support cricket by betting on sites like 10CRIC, sudden squad changes can significantly impact their betting decisions. That’s why the announcement was shocking to many.
Before the 3rd ODI, fans heard many changes to Australia’s squad lineup. One of the first names was Jack Edwards, who was selected to play for Australia for the first time. He’ll be joining the team for the third and final ODI against India for Australia.
On the other hand, the two injured players, Glenn Maxwell and Ben Dwarshuis, have recovered and will return to the team. Ben Dwarshuis missed the opening game after sustaining a calf injury while playing against New Zealand for the T20 series. Cricket Australia later announced that he’ll return for games four and five.
Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell suffered from a wrist fracture, but later announced that he had recovered from his injury and is ready to come back to the team. He’ll rejoin the team from the third game until the end of the series.
Maxwell, as a star all-rounder, would be a versatile addition to the team. Dwarshuis’s fast bowling skills would also be useful to strengthen Australia during the third ODI. There’s also Josh Philippe, who’d be joining the T20.
Dwarshuis isn’t the only player known for his fast bowling skill, because Australia made another addition to the line-up, Mahli Beardman. He’s a young Western Australian known for his fast bowling skills. There would be a lot of anticipation surrounding the young player, as this would be his debut and the perfect place for him to grow.
Departures
Besides making changes to the ODI lineup, Cricket Australia had also confirmed changes that would also affect the T20 squads. The most significant news is how Marnus Labuschagne, one of the best batters in Australia, will be leaving the ODI squad early. He’ll have to get ready for Queensland’s Sheffield Shield against New South Wales at the Gabba, which explains his absence from the third ODI.
Like Labuschagne, Sean Abbott and Josh Hazlewood will also leave the ODI early. Hazlewood will have to depart after game two, while Sean Abbott will leave during post-game three. Both departures are for the preparation of the Sheffield Shield’s fourth round.
Returning Players
Glenn Maxwell and Ben Dwarshuis aren’t the only returning players. Matthew Kuhnemann played during the first ODI, but later left for the second. He’s announced to return for the third ODI. In Josh Inglis’s stead, who suffered a calf injury, Josh Philippe will also play as a backup wicketkeeper.
What it Means for Australia
There are many reasons why Australia made these changes. Some of them might be unavoidable due to the departure of players who are needed for the Sheffield Shield. However, the addition of Beardman was shocking for many. He’s a very young and inexperienced player, so fans questioned his entry, especially how it was done mid-series.
So far, he had only played one List A match for Western Australia. Still, he had made an great start to his T20 and List A career after recovering from a back stress fracture. This series will be an opportunity where he can showcase his true value.
It does seem like Australia feels like the third game and up is already decided. After acquiring two points, Australia might feel like they have a chance to experiment, especially for testing their younger players. In addition, it can be a chance for senior bowlers like Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to rest as they prepare for their upcoming games.
Changes from India’s Side
Australia isn’t the only one making changes, because India has also changed things up. Although India doesn’t have any more chance of winning the series, India still wants to win the last match to end the whole series on a more positive note. Seeing all the changes that Australia has made, it’s also likely that they want to do a clean sweep, so India decided not to give up.
During the third ODI’s coin toss, Australia once again won. During the first two tosses, Australia chose to bowl first. This time, they chose to bat first. The hosts only made one change to their lineup, while India decided to make two.
India’s two new additions were Kuldeep Yadav and Prasidh Krishna. On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh was released from the lineup. The second was Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was already unable to play due to an injury. Reddy left with a quadriceps injury after playing the second ODI and is still under the BCCI medical team observation.
