Australia name Ben McDermott as standby player for India T20Is
What's the story
Australia have named wicketkeeper-batter Ben McDermott as the standby player for the upcoming T20I series against India. His inclusion comes after Matthew Short underwent surgery on his finger in Sydney, according to cricket.com.au. The five-match series will kick off on Wednesday at Canberra's Manuka Oval. While Josh Philippe is expected to be Short's like-for-like replacement for the T20I series, McDermott has been added to the reserves.
Player updates
McDermott returns to Australian side
Short sustained a cut on his right ring finger while fielding during the 2nd ODI against India in Adelaide. Despite being injured, he managed to score 74 off 78 balls and helped Australia secure a narrow two-wicket victory. His replacement, McDermott has already featured in five ODIs and 25 T20Is for Australia. His strike rate of 99.70 in T20Is requires improvement.
Squad alterations
Changes in Australia's squad for upcoming T20Is
Australia squad: Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott (first three matches only), Xavier Bartlett, Mahli Beardman (last three matches only), Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis (last two matches only), Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood (first two matches only), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wicket-keeper), Matthew Kuhnemann, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe (wicket-keeper), Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, and Ben McDermott.
Captain's remarks
Mitchell Marsh on squad changes
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh addressed the changes in his squad, saying, "We do have guys coming in and out, but I think that's been the nature of the white ball teams over the last couple of years." He added that it's all about being flexible with these changes. The team understands their roles when they come into the side, which is crucial for maintaining clarity.