Australia announce squad for WTC final vs India and first two Ashes 2023 Tests, David Warner retains spot

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Australia have announced their squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India, and the first two Ashes 2023 Test matches. David Warner has retained his spot, while Mitchell Marsh has earned a recall alongside opener Marcus Harris.

The WTC final will be played at The Oval in London from June 7, while the Ashes 2023 will kick off with the first Test match in Edgbaston from June 16. Apart from Harris and Marsh, uncapped England-born wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has also been named in the squad.

It will be a maiden Ashes tour for first-choice wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carey and all-rounder Cameron Green, pacer Scott Boland and off-spinner Murphy who was mighty impressive in his debut Test series in India earlier this.

Matthew Renshaw has retained his Test spot despite his men's central contract for 2023-24 season not being renewed by Cricket Australia (CA). However, Peter Handscomb, who recently slammed a hundred and a fifty against Yorkshire in County Championship 2023, has been snubbed.

Australia captain Pat Cummins will get support from Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Boland in the pace department. Australia will also have the option of Marsh and Green in the pace department. Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith and Travis Head continue to form the core batting group for Australia.

Australia Squad for World Test Championship Final and Ashes 2023: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, David Warner

Australia are expected to benefit massively in English conditions from their world-class seam-bowling options in Green and Marsh. The latter has played just one first-class in the past two years due to an ankle injury.His last Test outing was the final match of Australia previous Ashes tour in September 2019.

Cameron Bancroft did not win a recall despite finishing the summer as leading runs-scorer in the Marsh Sheffield Shield. Also missing from the 18-man squad that lost 2-1 to India earlier this year are spinners Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Swepson and Ashton Agar.

"The squad, which will assemble in England in late May, will be trimmed to 15 on May 28 as per ICC requirements for the World Test Championship Final against India," an official release from Cricket Australia (CA) suggested.