Maxwell, Marsh included in Australian squad for ODIs

Oliver Caffrey and Scott Bailey | February 23, 2023

Glenn Maxwell has declared he will have no problem returning to the intensity of one-day cricket after both he and Mitch Marsh were named for Australia’s series in India.

Selectors have turned their attention to this year’s World Cup for the three-match series, with Maxwell and Marsh both fit again and named after injury-plagued summers.

Maxwell had dreams of ending a near six-year absence from Test level by playing in India, but a freak broken leg suffered at a friend’s birthday in November ruined those plans.

He has made a successful comeback to the Sheffield Shield with Victoria this week, and while he is still sitting out one-day domestic matches due to its intensity he is confident he will be fit to play in the first ODI in Mumbai on March 17.

“I always said I was building to that one-day series, it was always in my mind,” Maxwell said. 

“Now that I am closer to that workload I need to be at, it’s about trying to maintain that, get the pace back up, and in a couple of weeks time I will be 100 per cent.”

Maxwell will also return to bowling in club cricket this week for Fitzroy Doncaster, before featuring in Victoria’s next Sheffield Shield match against Victoria from March 2. 

A firing Maxwell at the World Cup would be a bonus given his experience playing in Asia and his versatility with bat, ball and in the field.

Marsh will prove his fitness by playing in the next two one-day matches for Western Australia before travelling to India.

The powerful allrounder needed surgery three months ago to fix his troublesome left ankle and has not played a competitive game since November 22.

Fringe fast bowler Jhye Richardson has also been included after struggling with a hamstring injury during the Perth Scorchers’ run to the BBL title.

Richardson last played an ODI for Australia during the tour of Sri Lanka in June.

The ODIs are low priority compared to the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series but is important as the 50-over World Cup will be held in India in October.

“With the World Cup just over seven months away, these matches in India are an important step in our preparation,” Australia chairman of selectors George Bailey said.

“Glenn, Mitchell and Jhye are all important players in what we think the squad might look like come October.”

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will sit out the ODIs after leaving the Test tour due to an ongoing Achilles injury.

“It would be great for Josh to be part of this series but we have taken a conservative view ahead of a very important winter in England of which he will be an integral part,” Bailey said.

But David Warner (elbow) and Ashton Agar (form) will return to India in March after flying home this week.

After the first clash in Mumbai, Australia will face India in Vizag (March 19) and Chennai (March 22).

Australia: Pat Cummins (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.