Australia, despite missing key pacers, are overwhelming favorites against Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener.
Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Glenn Maxwell and hTim David will also be rested from the three-match T20I series against Pakistan, starting on January 29.
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin hailed New Zealand batter Daryl Mitchell as a "brainy cricketer" who is capable of making the best out of his limits as a player and someone who can give a franchise 400-500 runs batting at number three or four during a tournament.
Pat Cummins will undergo final scans later in the month to determine his participation in the World Cup, Cricket Australia said.
Australia's selectors chairman George Bailey defended sticking with the Test side's veteran core for the Ashes on Wednesday following criticism from former captain Steve Waugh about the team's ageing profile.
Australia's Lyon angry at being dropped for second Ashes Test
Steve Smith said the decision to drop Nathan Lyonwas taken to strengthen the pace-bowling department.
Cummins is also unlikely to feature in the first Ashes Test, starting November 21 in Perth, and in that scenario former skipper Smith will captain Australia.
'That so many have reached such an advanced stage of their careers without obvious replacements is certainly a reflection of their quality, but will be a matter of concern in the case of more injuries during the series.'
Australia are confident that captain Pat Cummins will play a significant part in the Ashes series, head selector George Bailey said, as questions remain over the paceman's fitness for the opening Test in Perth.
Konstas, 20, misses out after a poor tour with the bat in the West Indies, while Weatherald has been included after topping the Sheffield Shield runs list
The Aussies also named a 14-player group for the first two T20I matches against India, with Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis earning recalls after they missed the recent T20I series with South Africa.
The 35-year-old left-armer retires with 79 wickets from 65 T20Is, second on the all-time list for Australia, behind spinner Adam Zampa.
Mitch Owen has been rewarded for his fine form in his first five Twenty20 internationals by being named in both of Australia's squads for short-format series against South Africa in the far north of the country next month.
Australia openers Sam Konstas and Nathan McSweeney were on Thursday named in the 'A' squad bound to India to play two four-day matches in Lucknow in September, with an eye on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2026-27.
Australia have dropped Marnus Labuschagne for next week's first Test against West Indies in Barbados
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell retired from ODIs to focus on next year's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
The 3rd Test match in Kingston, Jamaica, will mark Australia's first day-night Test away from home and if they opt for a pace-heavy attack, Scott Boland could come into the side.
Australia's opening partnership has been the subject of much debate since David Warner retired and remains unresolved less than a month before the World Test Championship final against South Africa.
Skipper Pat Cummins, who missed the tour of Sri Lanka due to the birth of his second child in February and was also ruled out of the Champions Trophy campaign with an ankle injury, will take the reins against South Africa.
Former Australian cricketer Dan Marsh has called on his country's side to consider George Bailey for selection for next year's tour of India
Sam Konstas has been added to Australia's list of contracted players in a huge vote of confidence for the two-Test opener.
Marsh was nonetheless retained in Australia's list of contracted players released on Tuesday for the 2025/26 season in an endorsement by selectors.
This is only the second time that Punjab Kings reached the IPL final, while it is the fourth time that RCB have made it to the title clash.
Starc's withdrawal comes after pace stalwarts Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were ruled out due to injuries.
Pat Cummins will captain Australia at the Champions Trophy after being named in a preliminary 15-man squad also featuring fellow quick Josh Hazlewood on Tuesday.
Glenn Maxwell's hopes of reviving his Test career may be over after the all-rounder missed out on selection in Australia's much-changed squad for the Sri Lanka tour.
Cummins, Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy.
Australia's stand-in skipper and batting mainstay Steve Smith announced his retirement from One-Day Internationals following his team's semi-final loss to India in the Champions Trophy in Dubai on Tuesday.
An injury concern looms over Australian skipper Pat Cummins ahead of next month's Champions Trophy with the pacer set to undergo a scan
Australia must avoid defeat in Melbourne to keep their hopes alive of taking back the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Nathan McSweeney, who opened in the first three Tests with little success, has been dropped.
Australia announced a 16-member squad on Thursday with several fresh faces added to the group that played India in the fifth and final Test at Sydney last week. Australia won the marquee series 3-1.
Rookie Australia opener Nathan McSweeney admitted feeling "devastated" after being dropped for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, but vowed to work hard to reclaim his spot in the national team.
Boland is ready to step in once again for Josh Hazlewood, continuing the role of the perfect first substitute that has defined his 11-Test career.
The Prime Minister's XI team will be led by uncapped all-rounder Jack Edwards of New South Wales.
'I've got a few plans against those (Indian) bowlers. Feeling like I'm moving really nice and hopefully I get that opportunity.'
Short of players, a nine-man Australia needed as many as four support staff members on the field, including chief selector and head coach, in their T20 World Cup warm-up against Namibia but that did not change the expected outcome of the game.
Australia are already without another regular all-rounder in Cameron Green, who was ruled out of the India series after opting to have surgery on a stress fracture in his lumbar spine.
Selectors have recalled pace stalwart Hazlewood for the second ODI after he missed the MCG match to play Sheffield Shield cricket.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances