Beardman rested for Australia's 2nd ODI vs England; Dwarshuis joins T20I squad
Synopsis
Days after taking 6 for 24 on debut — the best figures by an Australian men's bowler in his first ODI — 21-year-old Mahli Beardman has been rested for the Adelaide clash as Cricket Australia manages his workload after a history of back stress fractures. Meanwhile, Ben Dwarshuis steps in for Nathan Ellis ahead of the T20I series, adding further squad intrigue to a lopsided series against a struggling England.
Key Takeaways
Mahli Beardman , 21, has been rested from Australia's second ODI against England at the Adelaide Oval on 15 November 2026 .
Beardman took 6 for 24 on debut at Perth — the best figures by an Australian men's bowler on ODI debut — and became the first Australian to take a five-wicket haul in men's ODIs before age 22.
Riley Meredith has joined the ODI squad for the final two games; he and Liam Scott are likely replacements in Adelaide.
Ben Dwarshuis replaces Nathan Ellis in the T20I squad; Ellis is recovering from a left side strain from the South Africa tour.
Australia have won 10 of their last 12 ODIs against England; England have lost 15 of their last 18 away ODIs.
England were dismissed for just 131 in Perth — their lowest first-innings ODI score since 110 against India in July 2022 .
Mahli Beardman, the 21-year-old fast bowler who stunned England with a historic debut performance, has been rested from Australia's second ODI against England at the Adelaide Oval on 15 November 2026, with team management citing workload management following recent injuries. In a related squad update, left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis has been added to the T20I squad as a replacement for Nathan Ellis, who has not fully recovered from a side strain.
Why Beardman Is Being Managed
Beardman delivered one of the most remarkable ODI debuts in Australian cricket history when he claimed 6 for 24 in the series opener at Perth, the best figures ever recorded by an Australian men's bowler on debut in ODIs. The performance helped the hosts seal a commanding seven-wicket win.
Notably, Beardman also became the first Australian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in men's ODIs before turning 22, surpassing Mitchell Starc's previous benchmark of 4 for 27 against Sri Lanka in November 2010. Despite the milestone, the management has chosen to exercise caution, with Cricket Australia (CA) confirming the decision in an official statement on Sunday.
'Mahli Beardman will be managed for today's second ODI against England in Adelaide as he builds capacity following recent injuries. He will return to the side for the third ODI in Hobart on Wednesday,' CA said.
The caution is well-founded: Beardman missed seven months of cricket after a stress fracture in his back resurfaced following his T20I debut against Pakistan.
Who Steps In at Adelaide
Riley Meredith has joined the ODI squad for the final two matches of the series, CA confirmed. Meredith arrives in form, having claimed four wickets for Tasmania in their Sheffield Shield fixture against Queensland. He and all-rounder Liam Scott are considered the leading candidates to fill Beardman's spot in the playing eleven in Adelaide.
Dwarshuis In, Ellis Out for T20I Series
Ben Dwarshuis will return to international cricket for the first time since the ODI series in Bangladesh in June, after being named in the T20I squad for the upcoming series against England. His inclusion follows Nathan Ellis being ruled out with a left side strain he sustained during Australia's ODI series defeat to South Africa in September. The T20I series is scheduled to begin in Melbourne on Saturday.
'Ben Dwarshuis has been added to the Australian squad for the upcoming T20 International series against England. Dwarshuis replaces Nathan Ellis, who is still recovering from a side strain sustained during the recent South Africa tour,' CA stated.
Series Context: England Under Pressure
Australia arrive in this series in commanding form, having won 10 of their last 12 ODIs against England, including the last three in succession. England, by contrast, have lost 15 of their last 18 ODIs away from home, with their only victories in that stretch coming against Sri Lanka.
The tourists' batting frailty was on full display at Perth, where they were dismissed for just 131 — their lowest first-innings ODI total since posting 110 against India in July 2022. With the series now at 1-0 to Australia, England will need a sharp turnaround in Adelaide to stay alive before the decider in Hobart.
Point of View
But the optics of benching a bowler coming off a historic debut performance will not go unnoticed. The deeper issue is structural: Australia's pace stocks are deep enough to absorb this, but England — already 1-0 down and repeatedly collapsing — cannot afford another capitulation. If the tourists do not arrest the batting rot in Adelaide, the Hobart decider risks becoming a formality rather than a contest.
NationPress
15 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Mahli Beardman been rested for the second ODI against England?
Cricket Australia has rested Beardman to manage his workload as he builds match fitness following a history of back stress fractures, including one that kept him out for seven months after his T20I debut against Pakistan. He is expected to return for the third ODI in Hobart on Wednesday.
What did Mahli Beardman do on his ODI debut?
Beardman claimed 6 for 24 in the series opener at Perth, the best figures ever by an Australian men's bowler on ODI debut, helping Australia to a seven-wicket win. He also became the first Australian to take a five-wicket haul in men's ODIs before turning 22, bettering Mitchell Starc's 4 for 27 against Sri Lanka in November 2010.
Why has Ben Dwarshuis been added to the T20I squad?
Dwarshuis was called up after Nathan Ellis was ruled out with a left side strain sustained during Australia's ODI series against South Africa in September. It will be Dwarshuis's first international appearance since the ODI series in Bangladesh in June.
Who is likely to replace Beardman in the Adelaide ODI?
Riley Meredith and all-rounder Liam Scott are the leading candidates to step into the playing eleven in Adelaide. Meredith recently took four wickets for Tasmania in a Sheffield Shield match against Queensland.
How have Australia and England been performing in ODIs recently?
Australia have won 10 of their last 12 ODIs against England, including the last three consecutively. England have lost 15 of their last 18 away ODIs, with their only wins in that period coming against Sri Lanka, and they scored just 131 in the Perth opener — their lowest first-innings ODI total since July 2022.
