Australia omit Marsh and Renshaw from Squad for WTC Final against India

In preparation for the much-anticipated World Test Championship final against India, Australia has made some notable exclusions from their squad. Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Renshaw have been left out, as the team adheres to ICC regulations requiring a 15-member squad submission. Australia had initially named a 17-man touring party for the upcoming Ashes series, leading to Marsh and Renshaw missing out on the opportunity to participate in the summit clash.

The omission of Renshaw from the WTC squad indicates that Marcus Harris remains the preferred backup option for the opening spots. This news comes as a relief for David Warner, who has faced challenges in recent red-ball assignments. Although Warner’s performances in England will be closely scrutinized, head coach Andrew McDonald has expressed unwavering support for the experienced opener, emphasizing his potential contribution in the Ashes and the World Test Championship final.

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“We’re optimistic with what Dave’s got left, we picked him in the squad, and we feel he’s going to play a really significant part in the Ashes and the World Test Championship final,” McDonald stated during an interview with SEN on Wednesday. “That’s why he’s on the plane. We think he’s got some good games left in him.”

Australia’s squad received a major boost with the return of Josh Hazlewood, who recently regained fitness after a prolonged injury layoff. The 32-year-old fast bowler had suffered an injury during the home series against South Africa in January, causing him to miss action for the following four months. Hazlewood briefly joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League but had to depart mid-season due to insufficient recovery progress.

The final squad for the ICC World Test Championship includes Pat Cummins as captain, along with Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and David Warner.

With their squad finalized, Australia aims to put forward a strong performance in the highly-anticipated World Test Championship final, showcasing their talent and determination against a formidable Indian team.