It will be India versus Australia yet again in two day's time, albeit a T20I contest. Just four nights after Australia's stellar ODI World Cup win in Ahmedabad, India will host the newly-crowned world champions for a five-match T20I series starting November 23 in Visakhapatnam. However, Australia will be without their star batter in David Warner as the opener has been sent back home following the nation's World Cup triumph.
Warner, who emerged as Australia's top run-getter in the World Cup tournament, scoring 535 runs at 48.63, has withdrawn form the 15-man squad that he was initially named by Cricket Australia. Warner will instead return home and gear up for his final appearance in Test cricket. He had earlier revealed this summer that he will retire from the longest format after Australia's New Year's match against Pakistan in Sydney.
"Selectors decided Warner would return home on the back of a successful yet demanding World Cup campaign," Cricket Australia said in a statement.
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Emerging West Australian allrounder Aaron Hardie has been named as the replacement for Warner. He joined the squad over the weekend. Hardie had recently made his ODI and T20I debuts during the white-ball tour of South Africa in September.
{{/usCountry}}Emerging West Australian allrounder Aaron Hardie has been named as the replacement for Warner. He joined the squad over the weekend. Hardie had recently made his ODI and T20I debuts during the white-ball tour of South Africa in September.
{{/usCountry}}With Warner being out, Australia will have just seven of their World Cup-winning ODI squad left for the T20I series against India - Sean Abbott, Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Smith, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa – as well as reserve spinner Tanveer Sangha.
From India, three players from the World Cup squad was named in the 15-man team for the T2OI series. Suryakumar Yadav will be leading the Indian side for the first time in his career and will be joined by Ishan Kishan as well. Shreyas Iyer will be part of only the last two matches as a vice-captain.
Australia T20I squad: Matthew Wade (c), Aaron Hardie, Jason Behrendorff, Sean Abbott, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa