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Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood Return for Australia’s Limited-Overs Series Against South Africa
Australia Announces Full-Strength Squads for 2026 Summer Kickoff
As the Australian summer of cricket gears up, Cricket Australia has announced strong squads for the upcoming limited-overs series against South Africa, marking the return of senior players Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood. The series, which begins on August 10, will consist of three T20Is and three ODIs, and is expected to play a crucial role in shaping Australia’s core white-ball group ahead of a demanding international calendar.
Head and Hazlewood were both rested from the recently concluded T20I series in the Caribbean, where Australia completed a dominant 5-0 clean sweep. With their return, the selectors are signaling a shift back to full-strength lineups for home conditions.
Mitchell Marsh to Lead in Pat Cummins’ Absence
Starc and Cummins Continue Rest Period
Mitchell Marsh will continue to lead Australia in both white-ball formats in the absence of Pat Cummins, who remains on a rest period following a packed international schedule. Fellow senior pacer Mitchell Starc has also been rested for the series against West Indies and South Africa, with both expected to return later in the summer during marquee series against New Zealand and India.
According to George Bailey, Chair of Selectors, this decision aligns with long-term planning:
“We are focused on giving players adequate rest while preparing a versatile squad for the Test summer and the upcoming white-ball tournaments.”
Read Also: Australia Dominate West Indies in 5-0 T20I Whitewash
New Faces and Middle-Order Rebuild After Maxwell, Smith Retirements
The retirements of stalwarts Glenn Maxwell and Steve Smith from ODIs have created crucial vacancies in the middle order. In response, Mitchell Owen has earned his maiden ODI call-up, reflecting the selectors’ intent to groom fresh talent. Cameron Green, having recently returned to form, reclaims his place in both squads, while Marnus Labuschagne, despite missing out in Tests, continues to find favor in the 50-over format.
Meanwhile, Matthew Short, who has recovered from a side strain, returns to the mix and is part of both T20 and ODI squads.
Notable Omissions: Abbott, Fraser-McGurk, and More Miss Out
Due to the return of experienced players and a trimmed 14-member T20I squad, several players from the Caribbean tour — including Sean Abbott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tanveer Sangha, Cooper Connolly, and Aaron Hardie — have been left out of the ODI team.
The inclusion of Xavier Bartlett and Lance Morris, both of whom impressed in recent outings, comes at the expense of some of these fringe players.
Bailey assured that the omissions are temporary:
“All the excluded players remain in the frame. We expect them to feature in future tours and series later this year, including matches against New Zealand and India.”
Schedule Breakdown: Series to Cover Darwin, Cairns, and Mackay
Australia will begin the T20I leg of the series in Darwin, with the first two matches scheduled for August 10 and 12. The teams will then move to Cairns, which will host the third T20I and the opening ODI. The series will conclude with two ODIs in Mackay, offering fans across the Top End a chance to witness international cricket action live.
Full Squad Announcement on Cricket Australia
