Australia name Marsh-led squad for West Indies T20I series starting July 2, three BIG players miss out

Australia have named a 16-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against West Indies, scheduled to begin on Monday (July 21), in the Caribbean islands. Mitchell Marsh, who recently starred for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025, returns to lead the side.

The squad sees the return of Josh Hazlewood, who played a crucial role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) IPL title win. Cameron Green and Cooper Connolly also make comebacks after recovering from injuries.

Notably, IPL performers such as Marcus Stoinis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Xavier Bartlett have been left out of the squad. Regular campaigners Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Travis Head will skip the T20Is to return home after the Test series in West Indies.

Two fresh names have earned maiden call-ups: Mitchell Owen and left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann. Kuhnemann could be a valuable option on the slower pitches of Jamaica and St. Kitt’s.

“We have a busy T20 schedule coming up through this series, followed by three against South Africa and New Zealand and five matches against India at home as we continue to refine and build a squad we think will be the right fit for the World Cup on the subcontinent," George Bailey, chief selector of Australia was quoted saying.

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Australia’s core for the series includes experienced campaigners like Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Tim David, and Josh Inglis. Fast bowling depth comes in the form of Nathan Ellis, Ben Dwarshuis, Aaron Hardie, and Spencer Johnson.

The series, which will commence on Monday (July 21), is seen as a key step in preparing for the T20I World Cup next year. With senior players resting, this is a golden opportunity for young guns to make a strong statement.

Australia’s T20I squad for the West Indies series:

Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa