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Australian cricket team has announced the playing XI for the first ODI against South Africa in Bloemfontein, scheduled for Thursday (September 7). The tourists have named two spinners in the eleven, while it also includes both keepers picked in the World Cup squad.
All-rounder Mitchell Marsh, who will lead in Pat Cummins' absence, will become Australia's 39th ODI skipper. The seam-bowling all-rounder was magnificent in the preceding T20I series, hitting 186 runs in three matches, including two half-centuries alongside a best of 92*.
Swashbuckling opener David Warner has returned to the fold after being rested for the T20I series and will open with Travis Head. Keeper-batters Alex Carey and Josh Inglis will bat in the middle-order, while Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis are likely to slot in No. 4 and No. 7, respectively.
With Warner returning to the side, Marsh said he expects to bat in the middle order and labeled the 36-year-old as a 'GOAT'. As quoted by Perth Now, he said:
"I expect to bat middle order. Things may change, but Davey is literally one of the GOATs of one-day cricket and white-ball cricket in general. We have Travis Head and Australia’s best-ever all-three-format player there, so I dare say I probably won’t be opening the batting."
The visitors will be high on confidence after sweeping the T20I series 3-0. Nevertheless, the Proteas are also boosted by their first-choice players, including Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, and Quinton de Kock.
Australia's playing XI for 1st ODI against South Africa
David Warner, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh (c), Cameron Green, Josh Inglis, Alex Carey, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
The selectors also finalized their 15-player squad for the upcoming 2023 World Cup, with Nathan Ellis, Tanveer Sangha, and Aaron Hardie missing out. The five-time World Cup champions will play five ODIs against South Africa, followed by three more against India.
