Australia has left fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood out of its limited overs squads for upcoming tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh later this month.
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Australia’s T20 team captain Mitchell Marsh. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Australia’s T20 captain Mitchell Marsh
| Photo Credit: AP

Rohit Sharma’s defiant 73 went in vain as India surrendered the three-match ODI series against Australia after losing the second game by two wickets here on Thursday (October 23, 2025), a setback that will reignite the debate on the proven match-winner Kuldeep Yadav’s omission from the playing XI.

Under pressure, Rohit mixed grit with grace in a 97-ball knock on a spicy track that formed the cornerstone of India’s total of 264 for 9 which was at least 25 short of what should have been a par-score.

In reply, Australia struggled against Indian spinners but with Nitish Reddy being shoe-horned as a multi-skilled player instead of a genuine match-winner in Kuldeep, the visitors paid the price in a close situation.

Cooper Connolly (61 not out off 53 balls) and Mitchell Owen (36 off 23 balls), two cricketers, who are also appearing for IPL auditions, flayed the pacers and spinners alike as Australia survived a late collapse to canter home in 46.2 overs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three match series.

The duo added 59 in just 6.3 overs to end Australia’s three-series losing streak in the format. The ongoing rubber will end in Canberra with the inconsequential third ODI on October 25.

Connolly, who was recently in Kanpur for an ‘A’ series, brought back memories of a certain Michael Bevan to finish the match by finding the gaps with ease in a pressure-cooker scenario.

In the process he also exposed how difficult it could get for India in the 2027 World Cup if the obsession with all-rounders is not reconsidered.

Reddy, coming in at No.8, scored 8 off 10 balls and gave 24 in three overs although in his defence, Axar Patel dropped a sitter offered by Matthew Short (74), who laid the foundation for Australia’s victory.

However, the absence of Kuldeep was felt more than ever when the Australian batters struggled against the two finger spinners.

Axar Patel (1/52 in 10 overs) just slowed the pace and shortened the length as Matt Renshaw (30) gave the charge to be bowled.

At the other end, Washington Sundar (2/37) had an impatient Alex Carey (9) trying to sweep and getting bowled in the process.

However, once the burly Mitchell Owen came into the scene, he smashed the daylights out of Harshit Rana (2/59 in 8 overs) to tilt the game decisively in favour of Australia.

Earlier, the Indian innings was about Rohit’s determination and he had to survive a lot of anxious moments in the Powerplay when Josh Hazlewood (0/29 in 10 overs, including two maidens) made the ball talk.

There was a point when Rohit had played 17 consecutive dot balls off Hazlewood and both him and Iyer looked overtly cautious due to the underlying moisture and lateral movement.

While Rohit fought, Virat Kohli was dismissed without scoring for a second consecutive game.

He was shaping for an outswinger but Xavier Bartlett got one to move in sharply after pitching and the maestro was caught plumb in front.

While leaving the ground, he acknowledged the fans at Adelaide, a venue where he has scored multiple Test hundreds and a World Cup century against Pakistan.

For Rohit, the first 50-odd balls were about consolidation and keeping the bat close to his body, trying to leave the deliveries on the length and taking a few on the body.

The only positive shot in that phase was a flicked boundary over square leg off Mitchell Starc.

The first time one got a glimpse of vintage Rohit was when he played back-to-back customary pick-up pulls off Mitchell Owen’s friendly medium pacers.

India got 17 from that over and with Iyer also rotating the strike with an upright stance, the scoreboard suddenly saw movement and momentum.

The innings was, however, far from silken smooth.

It was about a veteran, who wanted to make his naysayers eat humble pie. He was ready to grind it out and look ugly initially before eventually opening up.

The 2027 World Cup is still far but what Rohit intended to prove was that there is still some fuel left in the tank.

Once the initial phase was negotiated, Rohit didn’t look in any kind of discomfort. The slog sweep and inside out boundaries off Zampa reminded one of his salad days.

There was enough time for a 33rd ODI hundred but the swivel off his hips while trying to deposit Starc over the square leg boundary became his undoing.

While Rohit got much-needed breathing space, Kohli continued to be under pressure and left the ground raising his fist for the Adelaide spectators who probably saw the last of him.

It is not the first time that Kohli has scored consecutive ducks, but it seems that the intensity that added to his legend has diminished considerably.

Published – October 23, 2025 08:56 am IST

Australia’s captain Mitchell Marsh speaks to media ahead of the first international ODI cricket match against India in Perth on October 18, 2025.
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Australia’s Mitchell Starc, right, Mitchell Marsh, centre and Pat Cummins celebrate after the dismissal of Shubman Gill on day three of the third cricket Test between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, on December 16, 2024.
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The ball seemed to be chasing Mitchell Marsh at the Gabba here on Monday (December 16, 2024), and he was more than happy. Asked about his favourite among the two catches he pouched, the Australian all-rounder said: “Probably the gully one (Shubman Gill). I like fielding there, but yes, even the one earlier (Yashasvi Jaiswal) was just as good.”

Asked about the probability of enforcing the follow-on against India in the third Test, Marsh said: “We have got to take six wickets first, we know that we have got to take 20 wickets to try and win this Test and our conversations will be about how do we do that? Hopefully the weather holds off, and then tomorrow it’s just about coming in, having a crack, and see where we get to.”

Marsh was happy with Virat Kohli’s dismissal: “He is a big wicket and he is one of the greatest players ever, so it’s just about being diligent and trying to execute our plans, and I guess it’s always nice to see the back of one of the game’s greats. We bowled really well. We have some great bowlers and they are always attacking, and looking to take wickets all the time.”

A captain, to replace the replace the incumbent Mitchell Marsh has not been decided yet. File
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Australian men’s team has left out all of its first-choice Test team for the upcoming Twenty20 series against Pakistan so they can prepare for a five-Test series against India starting later this month.

In a congested month of cricket, Australia will play Pakistan in three one-day internationals starting November 4, which is immediately followed by the three-match T20 series starting in Brisbane on November 14.

The third and final T20 is in Hobart on November 18, just four days before the first Test against India at Perth.

Only Josh Inglis from the T20 squad is considered an outside possibility of being named to fill the vacant opening batter slot for the first Test, with Nathan McSweeney and teenager Sam Konstas seemingly higher in the selection pecking order, along with Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft.

Pace bowlers Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis and Spencer Johnson have been recalled to the white-ball squad after recovering from injuries.

“This group of players have all represented Australia in T20 cricket, so we look forward to them continuing to enhance their international experience throughout this series,” chairman of selectors George Bailey said in a written statement Monday (October 28, 2024).

“It is particularly encouraging to have Xavier, Spencer and Nathan back in the national set-up.”

A captain, to replace the incumbent Mitchell Marsh, has not yet been named. Inglis, Adam Zampa, or Glenn Maxwell are seen as the most likely contenders to be skipper for the three games in Brisbane, Sydney and Hobart.

Pakistan named its T20 and ODI squads for its Australian tour on Sunday (October 27, 2024).

Australia squad

Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

“Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but has not had to bowl heaps in Test matches,” Pat Cummins said.
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Australian skipper Pat Cummins said that the bowling workload of all-rounders Cameron Green and Mitchell Marsh will be raised more during the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India at home later this year, with an aim to help the mainstay trio of Cummins-Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood sustain themselves throughout what promises to be an intense battle.

The much-awaited Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) will commence with the first Test – a day match – at Perth Stadium from November 22 to November 26, setting the tone for the series. India has won its last two series in Australia, held in 2018-19 and 2020-21.

In the last season, Australia played an unchanged frontline bowling attack for seven Tests against Pakistan, West Indies and New Zealand. None of these matches reached the fifth day and only in three innings, Australia had to bowl more than 78 overs. These factors kept Cummins, Hazlewood and Starc fresh and active for the entirety of the season.

Green provided Australia with an additional pace bowling option when he returned during the West Indies series, but only bowled 42 overs across the next four Tests, playing mainly as a number four batter when Steve Smith moved up to the opening slot following David Warner’s retirement.

“It has been huge having the allrounders. In some ways, we have not had to use them as much as we thought we would. Which is a great thing. The last couple of summers have been pretty light [with] quick Test matches,” said Cummins as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

“I suspect this summer might be a bit different at time. We will be drawing on Cam Green and Mitch Marsh a bit more. Even someone like Cam basically started in Shield cricket as a bowler but has not had to bowl heaps in Test matches. Now he is a few years older, I think we will be leaning on him a bit more,” he added.

Green has taken 35 wickets in Tests at an average of 35.31 and has a five-wicket haul as well. The young all-rounder was moved into the number four slot and has scored a magnificent 174 against NZ at Wellington to showcase what he could offer there. For the BGT series, there seems to be uncertainty about Australia’s top six, with Smith being largely underwhelming as an opener for the past few months. But it is more or less fixed that Marsh and Green will be a part of the top six.

Cummins said that these two all-rounders making it into the top six on the basis of their batting alone is a “luxury”. “The first point is they both absolutely make the top six on their batting alone which is a luxury. We are really lucky that Nathan Lyon bowls plenty of overs, so you do not necessarily have to have an allrounder, but it makes a big difference to have that fifth bowling option. And with someone like Cam and Mitch, we have six bowling options. It is a really nice thing to have. The top six should always make the team on their batting.”

On being complimented by his teammates for managing their workloads well, Cummins said, “It is nice of them to say that, they would never say it to my face. When I am at the top of their mark asking them to do something, they know I am also doing it down the other end and would not ask for something I cannot do myself. Maybe there is a bit of built-up trust over the last decade or so,” he concluded.

The second Test, scheduled for December 6 to 10 at Adelaide Oval, will feature the exciting day-night format under the stadium’s lights. After that, fans will turn their attention to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, which will be held from December 14 to 18.

The customary Boxing Day Test, set for December 26 to 30 at Melbourne’s storied Melbourne Cricket Ground, will bring the series to its penultimate stage.

The fifth and final Test, taking place at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, will serve as the series climax, promising a dramatic conclusion to an exciting contest.

File picture of Australia’s Mitchell Marsh during a World Cup match.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Australia will be without Mitchell Marsh for their World Cup game against England this week after the all-rounder returned home to Perth for personal reasons, the country’s cricket board said on Thursday.

Cricket Australia said a timeline on Marsh’s return to the squad “is to be confirmed” and it was not immediately clear if a replacement player would be called up to the squad should his absence be prolonged.

The five-times champions face holders England in Ahmedabad on Saturday before pool stage encounters against Afghanistan and Bangladesh later this month.

Australia are third in the table after six matches as they look to shore up their position for a semi-final spot.

The news of Marsh’s unavailability comes after fellow all-rounder Glenn Maxwell was ruled out of the England match due to concussion after he fell off a golf cart this week.

All-rounder Marcus Stoinis is set to return to the line-up after shaking off a calf problem while Cameron Green is likely to step in for Marsh.

Australia’s Mitchell Marsh addresses the media during a press conference on the eve of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Netherlands in New Delhi, on October 24, 2023.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Australia will not brush aside the late collapse against Pakistan and will look to address their batting frailties in the back end when they face the Netherlands in their World Cup match, said in-form all-rounder Mitchell Marsh on October 24.

David Warner (163) and Marsh (121) smashed superlative hundreds, forging a 259-run stand for the opening wicket but a late collapse saw them eventually finish at 367 for 9 against Pakistan.

“I think individually everyone would have addressed that. To be honest I thought Pakistan bowled really well and gave us a bit of a blueprint on how to go about it certainly towards the back end of the innings,” Marsh said during the pre-match press conference.

“They’re a very good outfit and we were able to get on top of them in the first half of the innings, but they came back strongly, and you expect that from teams like Pakistan.

“So, we’ll address it, and hopefully moving forward, we can have a great last 10 overs and apply some pressure to other teams,” he said ahead of Australia’s match against the Dutch here on Wednesday.

Batting at number 3

Travis Head, who had injured his left hand during a World Cup warm-up match in South Africa, is firming up for a return after hitting the nets here ahead of the Netherlands clash.

Asked if Head will play tomorrow, Marsh said: “Yeah, I think that decision will be made this afternoon/tonight. He looked good, a bit of range hitting last night. He says the hand feels good. So, I’m sure if he’s fit, he’ll be available for selection in the team.

“I’m not sure who he’ll replace at this stage, but I presume that if he’s fit and he gets through today that he’ll play, but that decision will be made tonight.” Marsh also said he has no issues slipping back to No. 3 in case Head regains his opening slot.

“I’m very happy to go back down to three. I’ve obviously batted there a lot over the last couple of years, so I feel really comfortable at three. And if and when Heady comes back in, I think that’s the best position for me to play for this team,” he said.

It has been a World Cup of upsets with Afghanistan stunning defending champions England and Pakistan, while the Netherlands shocking South Africa the other day.

“Yeah, teams have got better. I think that’s great for world cricket, certainly in tournaments like this that can sometimes be pretty long. And you see a lot of games that are not exactly close or competitive,” he said.

“But we’ve said it multiple times now in this tournament this year, there’s absolutely no easy games. And you go into every game having done all the appropriate homework and hopefully you can come out with a win.

“So, tomorrow is no different for us. We respect the Netherlands; they’re playing some good cricket and that will be a tough challenge.” Talking about his evolution as a cricketer, Marsh said: “I’ve still worked hard for a long period of time to hopefully keep improving. And there’s no doubt that I’ve had probably more opportunities at the top of the order and more time to bat in the white ball format.

“Not a whole lot’s changed, I’ve just probably not given up on the fact that I was striving for something and kept working hard through periods of time that were tougher than others.

“In the last couple of years, I feel I’ve been as consistent as I could have been, which was something I was always striving for. I guess all the best players in the world that you look up to, and certainly in our team, they’re so consistent. And that’s what I was.” It has been a long season for Australia but Marsh said the experience of the players have helped them to be in great frame of mind despite the initial reversals.

“India probably play the most cricket out of anyone. And I guess from our point of view and from my point of view, it’s leaning on experience of the past,” he said.

“We’ve got a team full of a lot of experience at the moment, guys who’ve played 12 months of the year for the last probably six or seven years. So, we’re not in unfamiliar territory, whilst we had a slow start and we were put under pressure at times, the vibe in the team is great.

“We’ve played really good cricket in the last two games and hopefully that’s the case tomorrow.”