Cricket Australia announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC World T20 2016 on Tuesday, with the selectors making a few surprising exclusions.
Shaun Marsh, Matthew Wade, Shaun Tait, Kane Richardson, Scott Boland, Chris Lynn, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Cameron Boyce and Cameron Bancroft have all been left out of the Australia squad for the ICC World T20 2016.
Since there are only 15 slots to fill and way too many talented cricketers to pick from, it was difficult for the selectors, even if some of the exclusions is difficult to understand.
Shaun Marsh, who was one of the best batsmen for Australia during the T20 series against India and had a solid Big Bash League season for the Perth Scorchers, was ignored yet again.
Despite spin being a crucial factor in the Indian sub-continent, the selectors excluded Lyon. The selectors feel he is best suited for the Tests.
Lynn and Head, who were the stars in the Big Bash League for their respective sides, were excluded as well. Lynn was adjudged the player of the series in the domestic T20 competition.
After the retirement of Brad Haddin, Matthew Wade was Australia's preferred wicketkeeper in the limited-overs formats. But, Wade, too has been dropped. Peter Nevill, instead, got the nod. Nevill averages just 15.75, with a strike rate of less than 100 and has a highest score of 25 in the shortest format of the game.
"We feel our batting depth in this squad is sufficient enough that we can have a specialist wicket-keeper in the squad. We want Australia's best wicketkeeper playing in this tournament and we consider Peter Nevill to be the best in the country right now," national selector Rod Marsh was quoted as saying by Cricket Australia website.
Steve Smith will now lead Australia in all three formats of the international game. Aaron Finch was relieved off the duties of T20 captaincy.
"We think now is the right time for Steve to lead Australia in all three forms of the game as it offers us important continuity, not only ahead of the World T20, but beyond that tournament as well," Marsh added.
Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Adam Zampa are few of the notable inclusions in the 15-member Australian squad.
Australia squad for the ICC World T20 2016: Steve Smith (C), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill (wk), Andrew Tye, Shane Watson, Adam Zampa.
