McDonald Highlights Key Player Adjustments for Australia Against Sri Lanka
Click to start listening
Synopsis
In the lead-up to the two ODIs against Sri Lanka, Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald discusses the adjustments needed in the batting and bowling line-up due to key player absences. With the Champions Trophy approaching, the team aims to identify replacements for injured players.
Key Takeaways
- Australia evaluates batting structure without Marsh.
- Bowling lineup changes without Cummins and Hazlewood.
- Champions Trophy preparation is crucial.
- Conditions in Colombo may differ from Pakistan.
- World Test Championship squad will differ significantly.
Galle, Feb 10 (NationPress) Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald stated that the team will assess the configuration of their top three batters due to the absence of Mitchell Marsh and the bowling lineup without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in the forthcoming two ODIs against Sri Lanka.
With the Champions Trophy approaching in less than ten days, Australia aims to evaluate potential replacements in their squad for the eight-team tournament, as Cummins, Hazlewood, and Marsh are sidelined due to various injuries, and Marcus Stoinis has unexpectedly retired from ODI cricket.
"You want to play to win; there's no doubt about that because winning form always aids the confidence of a group. However, we will certainly consider options regarding the structure of the top three (batting) without Mitch Marsh,” he remarked.
"The bowling dynamic is completely transformed; it's like having an entirely new attack, so we need to figure out how that operates as well. We will definitely look at several factors. The conditions in Colombo could differ significantly from what we encounter in Pakistan."
"When we last visited here (in 2022), the pitches spun significantly during the one-day series, so we hope for flatter surfaces for preparation, but who knows," McDonald was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au on Monday.
Following a 2-0 Test series triumph over Sri Lanka, McDonald also mentioned that the squad selected for the World Test Championship final against South Africa at Lord's from June 11-15 will be entirely different from the one chosen for the three-Test tour in the West Indies, beginning June 25.
"We've discussed it a bit. However, the selection for England will differ from that for the West Indies, which poses various challenges. The West Indies can both spin and swing. We’ll make those decisions when the time comes."
"The advantage is that we have time before making those choices. Having depth and options is fantastic. There will be tough calls, and whoever misses out will be quite unfortunate."
"The same applies to the bowling department – Scott Boland has every right to believe he should start every Test match, which is a favorable dilemma to have. May it continue to present tough decisions for the selection panel, and let’s hope we make the right choices," he concluded.
