Cricket ODI World Cup: Australia reveal 15-man squad for ODI World Cup

Australia has made a bold selection choice for the ODI World Cup in India, opting not to take a specialist spinner to back up Adam Zampa. See the full squad here.

Australia will launch into the 50-over World Cup in India with only one frontline spinner after making the bold call to include both Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head in its final squad.

Once seen as rivals playing off for one spot, in-form fill-in batsman Labuschagne now joins injured opener Head in Australia’s plans and the Queenslander looks set to be in the first-choice XI for the tournament opener against hosts India on October 8.

As first flagged by this masthead, Labuschagne has ultimately replaced left-arm spinner Ashton Agar in the final 15-man squad, with selectors deciding that bolstering the batting stocks with Head unable to play the first half of the tournament was more important than including a second specialist spinner.

Agar failed to recover from a calf injury meaning leg-spinner Adam Zampa is going solo for a World Cup in Indian conditions, with enormous faith being put in Glenn Maxwell to deliver as the finger spinning option and No. 2 slow bowler.

Glenn Maxwell has been backed in as Australia’s second spinning option. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

National Selector George Bailey said Australia had no choice but to cut Agar after deciding to back in Head.

“There has been one change to the original preliminary squad of 15 announced a month ago with Marnus replacing Ashton,” Bailey said.

“This was a tough call but unfortunately, we couldn’t carry both Travis and Ashton into the tournament with the injuries they have.

“With a focused rehabilitation block we are hopeful Ashton can become available as a possible replacement player near the mid-way part of the tournament, should this be required.

“We have made the decision to carry Travis through the early stages with the aim of him being available around the mid part of the tournament.

“He has been a really important player in this ODI team and we are hopeful his return can provide a positive impetus as it gets to the business end of the tournament.

“Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell are progressing well through the rehabilitation of their respective injuries and it was pleasing to see them return to the playing XI last night.”

Maxwell showed that he can be a pivotal figure for Australia at this World Cup with his brilliant 4-40 on return in the final ODI warm-up against India, and selectors will sweat on Head’s swift return, not only for his explosive batting, but for his part-time spin as well.

It now looks like Labuschagne will bat at No. 4 for Australia in the early group matches before Head returns to the line-up and likely moves Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith down a place.

Both Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne made the squad. (Photo by PHILL MAGAKOE / AFP)

Batsman Matthew Short and leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha have been pencilled in as Australia’s travelling reserves, who sit outside the 15-man squad, but can be called in if there is an injury, while Michael Neser could also be a standby option whether he flies to India or remains in Australia.

Head’s potential to emerge from the casualty ward as a tournament-winner outweighed the risk of carrying an injured player through the early matches in India in the minds of the selectors.

Originally, Head appeared long odds to make it to the World Cup, however, the broken hand didn‘t require surgery and has improved over the past week and the South Australian star is on track to return midway through the Cup.

It‘s always a major risk to go into a World Cup with only 14 available players, but selectors believe Head warrants the rare show of faith.

Head is a dynamic game-breaker and in what shapes as a high-scoring World Cup, Australia needs his explosive power at the top of the innings.

Adding Head to the mix alongside the in-form David Warner and Marsh could give the Australians the edge they need to challenge the big guns like India and England.

But leaving out Labuschagne would have been borderline reckless from an Australian side that has been all over the shop with fitness and form issues.

Labuschagne originally wasn’t in Australia’s plans because of his similarities to Steve Smith, but in Australia’s current situation, his ultra-reliability is more important than trying to break run-rate records.

Losing Agar is a massive blow because it will be hard to win a World Cup in India without a frontline finger spinner.

Selectors could have piloted Sangha in as Agar’s replacement, but playing two leg-spinners in the same attack would be highly unorthodox – and Zampa is far and away the No. 1 spinning option.

Victorian Short is on standby for Head and Maxwell (who comes into the tournament with an ankle issue) as another part-time finger spinner who could bat anywhere in the order if summonsed.

Neser would cover the fast bowlers and Sangha will cover Zampa.

Originally published as Cricket ODI World Cup: Australia reveal 15-man squad for ODI World Cup