Aussies name full-strength T20 squad for NZ tour

Australia has confirmed a full-strength T20 squad will tour New Zealand later this month, with Mitch Marsh to continue as captain of the side ahead of June's T20 World Cup.

Fast bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitch Starc as well as batters Travis Head and Steve Smith are all returning to the T20 side for the tour having been rested for the home Dettol T20 Series against the West Indies that starts on Friday in Hobart.

Cummins and Starc come into the squad for Sean Abbott and Jason Behrendorff, who last week was named Australia's men's T20 Player of the Year at the Australian Cricket Awards ceremony, while the batters have been added in to make a 15-player travelling group.

Australia's T20 squad to tour New Zealand: Mitchell Marsh (c), Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

The Aussies are dealing with some minor injury worries as they enter a six-game T20 stretch against the Windies and Black Caps that will be their final bilateral fixtures in the format before the World Cup.

Matt Short suffered a low-grade hamstring injury in the second ODI against the West Indies in Sydney. The Aussies have added Ben McDermott for the third ODI in Canberra this afternoon, but WA allrounder Aaron Hardie will take Short's place in the squad for the home T20s.

The KFC BBL|13 Player of the Tournament, leading run scorer and top six-hitter, Short's recovery will be monitored but is expected to be fit to head to New Zealand.

Nathan Ellis also faces a fitness test later this week in his recovery from a rib injury. Spencer Johnson, who has joined the ODI squad in Canberra, is on standby for the T20 series should Ellis need more time leading into the New Zealand tour.

National Selection Panel chair George Bailey said: "The next six games will provide us the opportunity to start shaping what we think our World Cup squad will look like and potential roles within that.

"We will also fully utilise the opportunity to monitor and watch the performances of the Australian players in the IPL immediately preceding the World Cup."

Short's absence against the West Indies means Australia will likely have just the three games against the Kiwis to settle on whether he or Head will partner David Warner at the T20 World Cup, with Josh Inglis or Marsh likely to fulfil that role against the West Indies. Australia has not had a settled opening combination in T20s since Aaron Finch's retirement following the 2022 T20 World Cup.

Short and Head opened together against South Africa last August when Warner was absent, with each player posting a fifty. Head's 115 runs in the three games outscored Short's 86, but they did come at a superior strike rate of 204.76 to Head's 169.11.

Marsh was a beast in that series, with 186 runs from 100 balls faced and posted two fifties while captaining the team to a 3-0 result.

The next six games will be Marsh's dress rehearsal to take on the national T20 captaincy full-time, with selectors yet to confirm a permanent replacement for Finch as the shortest format's skipper.

Cummins led Australia to the 50-over World Cup title last November with a captaincy masterclass, but Marsh has been given front-running for the T20-over gig starting with that tour of South Africa last August.

Matthew Wade led Australia's T20 side in a low-key five-game series against India that immediately followed that ODI World Cup triumph where both sides rested numerous first-choice players.

Speaking in January, Bailey said a decision on the full-time skipper would come after the T20s against New Zealand.

"One thing we are conscious of is Mitch hasn't had a chance to work yet with Andrew McDonald as coach," Bailey said, with Michael Di Venuto having filled that role in South Africa last August while Daniel Vettori will coach against the West Indies.

"New Zealand will be the time when Andrew jumps back in so it will be a good chance to see how those two work together," said Bailey. "We're confident it'll work but we just haven't seen it yet."

Marsh, who received the Allan Border Medal last week, choked up when thanking McDonald and Cummins for their support during his acceptance speech, revealing a deep bond.

Where Smith fits into the powerful batting line-up will remain a source of conjecture. Australia have trialled Smith as an opener following his stunning form in last summer's BBL and played two games against India following the ODI World Cup win, hitting 52 off 41 and 19 off 16.

A squad for the two-Test series that follows the T20 fixtures is expected to be named later this week.

Qantas Tour of New Zealand

February 21: First T20, Wellington, 5.10pm AEDT

February 23: Second T20, Auckland, 5.10pm AEDT

February 25: Third T20, Auckland, 11am AEDT

Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa

New Zealand T20 squad: TBC

February 29 – March 4: First Test, Wellington, 9am AEDT

March 8-12: Second Test, Christchurch, 9am AEDT