Aaron Finch prepared to cast the net wide for Australia’s T20I squad



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BBL form could count for lots when Australia next make a choice a squad whether the Test tour to South Africa also goes ahead

Australia’s T20I captain Aaron Finch has said the list of conceivable players for the upcoming T20 tour of New Zealand is so long as ever as the national selectors face the prospect of picking a Test squad to tour South Africa at the same time.

The dates for Australia’s five-match T20 tour of New Zealand are locked in and the squad is likely to shuttle the day after the BBL last on February 6 in an effort to total the mandatory 14-days quarantine in New Zealand before the first game in Christchurch on February 22.

Australia are also because of play a three-Test series in South Africa at the same time, between February 14 and March 13. The dates for that tour are yet to be confirmed with the two boards continuing discussions approximately the safety protocols, but there’s a provisional date for the first Test to begin on February 18.

Australia coach Justin Langer has already made his feelings lucid approximately the prospect of selecting two national teams to play in two different countries at the same time, albeit in different formats, but the reality is that whether the South Africa goes ahead Australia will need two squads.

“Honestly, there are such a large amount of names,” Finch said. “When you look at the list and the chats that you’ve got with selectors there’s a large number of people that get talked approximately, and a large number of it will come down to, for this tour of New Zealand, selection for the Test squad, [and it] will depend on who gets opportunities and what kind of player gets opportunities.

“It’s an exciting time for Australia cricket. It’s probably not ideal having two Australian teams playing at the same time but it’ll give us a large number of information going forward.”

Finch said planning for Australia’s tour of New Zealand has been put on hold until the Test series with India was once total.

“There’s been a large number of waiting for the Test series to be over and then there’ll be a chance to name both squads and then we’re going to be capable of move forward and start planning that out a bit better,” he said.

Australia have a lot of players who are involved in both formats including David Warner, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood. Moises Henriques, Sean Abbott, and Mitchell Swepson have also been involved in both squads this summer.

Smith, Wade, Henriques, Abbott, and Swepson all played in Australia’s final T20I against India with Warner, Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood away.

Ashton Agar has been a part of Australia’s first choice T20I side for 12 months but missed the final series against India because of a calf injury which has seen him ruled out of all of the BBL and looks unlikely to be to be had.

Finch mentioned Josh Philippe, Ben McDermott, and Mitchell Marsh as three players who have impressed all over the BBL. Philippe is yet to make his international debut but did tour England with the Australian limited-overs teams final year, while McDermott has played 12 T20Is but none since 2019.

Marsh was once Player of the Match in Australia’s win in the third T20I in England final September but has not played for Australia since after suffering an ankle injury in the IPL. He suffered a side strain in the final BBL match for the Scorchers which will sideline him for no less than one match and he may not bowl again in the tournament.

Alex Malcolm is a freelance author based in Melbourne


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