Steve Smith And Adam Zampa Return Home As Australia Make Six Changes To Their Squad Ahead Of Third T20I Against India

With the ongoing five-match T20I series on the line, Australia have made a number of changes to their squad for the remainder of the series against Team India.

The visitors are on the verge of losing the series after being outplayed in the first two games. And ahead of the do-or-die third T20I, they have decided to make as many as six changes to their squad. Six members of Australia’s victorious campaign in the recently-concluded ICC World Cup 2023 who were also a part of the T20I squad have been rested for the remainder of the series.

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa has already returned home. He had a stunning campaign in the World Cup where he picked up 23 wickets in 11 games to equal legendary Muttiah Muralitharan’s record for most wickets by a spinner in a single edition of the World Cup. Along with Zampa, Steve Smith has returned home too.

Australia make six changes to the squad:

Zampa did not play in the first game but played in the second where he went wicketless for 33 runs. Smith, on the other hand, played in both the games. While Zampa and Smith have already returned home, four other members of the World Cup squad – Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, and Sean Abbott – are scheduled to return to Australia after the third T20I in Guwahati on Tuesday (November 28).

Among the triumphant group, only Travis Head will stay with the T20I squad in India. Head missed five games in the World Cup due to an injury before starring with the bat. He came up with Player of the Match performances in the semi-final as well as the final as Australia clinched a record-extending sixth World Cup title.

With the World Cup winners rested, Australia have called up Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, Ben Dwarshuis, and Chris Green as reinforcements. The tourists would be hoping that the changes help them change their fortunes too. They lost the first game by 2 wickets while defending a big total of 208 runs before suffering a 44-run loss in the second game while chasing an improbable total of 236.

Australia’s updated squad: Matthew Wade (c), Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Chris Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Kane Richardson