Cricket Australia announces squad for T20I series against West Indies; Mitchell Marsh to lead while star pacers rested

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh will once again be leading the Australian T20I squad in the upcoming three-match series against the West Indies. The 14-man squad also features Glenn Maxwell, who is rested for the ODI series, while the pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins have not been considered due to "ongoing minor physical issues".

The Aussie pacers have had a grueling home summer, playing five Test matches on the trot. However, with the shortest format being highly relevant in 2024, considering the T20 World Cup in June, they are expected to return and feature in the T20I series against New Zealand.

Apart from Starc, Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood, another name that has been rested is Steve Smith. The ace batter forced his way into the scheme of things after a prolific 2022-23 Big Bash League (BBL), where he scored two centuries at the top of the order.

Smith had featured as an opener across the first two T20Is against India and also played a handful of BBL matches for the Sydney Sixers. His most recent T20 outing was a golden duck in the Sydney Smash, and he was also not among the runs in his maiden outing as an opener in Test cricket recently.

The likes of David Warner and Tim David, who are currently featuring in the International League T20 (ILT20), have also been named in the squad.

Marsh had led the Australian squad on the tour of South Africa in September, while it was veteran Matthew Wade, who captained the team in the five-match away series against India after the 2023 ODI World Cup.

The T20I series between Australia and West Indies will be played between February 9 and February 13, with Hobart, Adelaide, and Perth playing host to the matches.

Australia last lost a T20I against West Indies at home in 2013

Australia's sole T20I defeat on home soil against the West Indies came at The Gabba, Brisbane, in 2013.

The Aussies had failed to defeat the Windies for nine years, losing six consecutive matches in the process, but now have a string of three successive wins, including one in the 2021 T20 World Cup.

Australia T20I squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

West Indies T20I squad: Rovman Powell (c), Shai Hope, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas

Who will win the upcoming T20I series between the two sides? Let us know what you think.