GLENN Maxwell has sensationally been axed from Australia’s one-day squad for the upcoming series with England, with Australian captain Steve Smith saying he needs to be “smarter” in a huge wake-up call for the big-hitting all-rounder.
Maxwell’s omission was one of several shocks in the 14-man squad announced on Wednesday, with wicketkeeper Matthew Wade also overlooked in favour of recalled Test keeper Tim Paine.
Big Bash sensation Chris Lynn has also been included, despite being just three matches into his return from a serious shoulder injury.
Maxwell has been a mainstay of the Australian team but endured a troubled tour of India this year and his place in the team has come under pressure from rising star Travis Head in recent times — with the South Australian skipper usurping the Victorian star’s role as the team’s off-spinning all-rounder.
“No-one is in any doubt about Glenn’s ability or his potential to produce match-winning contributions with the bat,” said National Selector Trevor Hohns.
“What we have wanted from him is more consistency but in his past 20 matches in this format he has averaged 22 and we need more than that from a player in the side’s batting engine room.
“Glenn is still absolutely in our thoughts but for this series we have decided to look again at Chris Lynn, who is now back playing once more after the shoulder injury that hampered him when we picked him against Pakistan in this format 12 months ago.
“He has been one of the most feared players at domestic level in limited-overs cricket in the past couple of years and we want to see if he can convert that domestic form to the international stage.”
Smith said Maxwell could consider himself “unlucky” but urged the 29-year-old to take the axing as a wake-up call and change his training habits to get his way back into the national team.
“Just looking at the way he trains ... I think he could train a little bit smarter,” Smith said.
“We’ve all seen the way he can come out and play and do all his funky stuff and be pretty cool with that.
“But when he puts his head down he’s actually a really good batsman as we’ve seen in Shield cricket. He’s got some big runs there.
“If he keeps his head switched on and trains really well and focuses on basic things, probably more than the expansive things, then I think that’ll help him have his consistency and if he’s having those consistent performances he’s certainly a person you want in your team.”
Paine’s inclusion - making him the Australian wicketkeeper in all three formats, following a brilliant return to the Test team during the Ashes - is a further blow to Wade’s standing in Australian cricket.
But Hohns explained that it was simply just reward for Paine after a stirring comeback this summer.
“Tim forced his way into the Twenty20 International squad last summer, and after coming back into the Test squad at the beginning of the Ashes series he has made a terrific contribution with bat and gloves.
“He deserves his opportunity in this form of the game and the challenge for Matthew is to return to the type of form that saw him score a One-Day International hundred against Pakistan last summer.”
Uncapped Western Australian duo Andrew Tye and Jhye Richardson have also been included, having made their international Twenty20 debuts in the past 12 months.
Australia will play England in five one-day fixtures, starting on January 14.
Australia squad for Gillette ODI series against England: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa
https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/c...new-faces-ng-415fb0e9dee7906c8035f8e495348c03
Maxwell’s omission was one of several shocks in the 14-man squad announced on Wednesday, with wicketkeeper Matthew Wade also overlooked in favour of recalled Test keeper Tim Paine.
Big Bash sensation Chris Lynn has also been included, despite being just three matches into his return from a serious shoulder injury.
Maxwell has been a mainstay of the Australian team but endured a troubled tour of India this year and his place in the team has come under pressure from rising star Travis Head in recent times — with the South Australian skipper usurping the Victorian star’s role as the team’s off-spinning all-rounder.
“No-one is in any doubt about Glenn’s ability or his potential to produce match-winning contributions with the bat,” said National Selector Trevor Hohns.
“What we have wanted from him is more consistency but in his past 20 matches in this format he has averaged 22 and we need more than that from a player in the side’s batting engine room.
“Glenn is still absolutely in our thoughts but for this series we have decided to look again at Chris Lynn, who is now back playing once more after the shoulder injury that hampered him when we picked him against Pakistan in this format 12 months ago.
“He has been one of the most feared players at domestic level in limited-overs cricket in the past couple of years and we want to see if he can convert that domestic form to the international stage.”
Smith said Maxwell could consider himself “unlucky” but urged the 29-year-old to take the axing as a wake-up call and change his training habits to get his way back into the national team.
“Just looking at the way he trains ... I think he could train a little bit smarter,” Smith said.
“We’ve all seen the way he can come out and play and do all his funky stuff and be pretty cool with that.
“But when he puts his head down he’s actually a really good batsman as we’ve seen in Shield cricket. He’s got some big runs there.
“If he keeps his head switched on and trains really well and focuses on basic things, probably more than the expansive things, then I think that’ll help him have his consistency and if he’s having those consistent performances he’s certainly a person you want in your team.”
Paine’s inclusion - making him the Australian wicketkeeper in all three formats, following a brilliant return to the Test team during the Ashes - is a further blow to Wade’s standing in Australian cricket.
But Hohns explained that it was simply just reward for Paine after a stirring comeback this summer.
“Tim forced his way into the Twenty20 International squad last summer, and after coming back into the Test squad at the beginning of the Ashes series he has made a terrific contribution with bat and gloves.
“He deserves his opportunity in this form of the game and the challenge for Matthew is to return to the type of form that saw him score a One-Day International hundred against Pakistan last summer.”
Uncapped Western Australian duo Andrew Tye and Jhye Richardson have also been included, having made their international Twenty20 debuts in the past 12 months.
Australia will play England in five one-day fixtures, starting on January 14.
Australia squad for Gillette ODI series against England: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Chris Lynn, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa
https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/c...new-faces-ng-415fb0e9dee7906c8035f8e495348c03
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