Mitchell Marsh Named Captain For Australia vs South Africa T20I Series

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Australia on Monday (August 7) named all-rounder Mitchell Marsh as the captain for T20I series in South Africa with the 14-member squad also featuring three uncapped Big Bash League (BBL) stars.

Rising star all-rounder Aaron Hardie, reigning BBL player of the tournament Matt Short and breakout left-arm firebrand Spencer Johnson are all in line for an international debut during the three-match T20 series, scheduled to be held on August 30, September 1 and September 3 in Durban.

Alongside Marsh, only five others who last featured in a T20 XI retain their spots in the squad as Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Adam Zampa are also included in the 14-member squad.

The retired former skipper Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Cameron Green, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Kane Richardson, who featured in Australia's last T20 squad have all been either rested or dropped.

Marsh has been named as skipper for the South Africa series only, with Cricket Australia yet to commit to a full-time replacement for Finch, who played his final T20 International last October at the T20 World Cup.

Josh Inglis is the only wicketkeeper named in the squad as Australia look to move on from Matthew Wade, while Tim David is also named in the squad for the shortest format. Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Ellis and Johnson are the pace bowling options for the series.

Zampa is the lone spinner with the other slow bowling options being Maxwell, David and Short, whose off-spin proved a key part of the Adelaide Strikers attack in the last BBL, where he bowled the first over in every game and took 11 wickets in 14 matches at an economy of 7.13.

Australia T20 Squad vs South Africa

Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wicketkeeper), Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.