A Major Shakeup in Australia's ODI Squad as Young Guns Get Their Shot

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-09-01

Cricket Australia's selectors have just unveiled their 17-man squad for the upcoming One-Day International tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, and let's just say there are some surprises in the mix. The biggest headline? Experienced batter Marnus Labuschagne has been left out. It's a bold move that signals a shift in thinking as the team builds towards the next World Cup. Instead, the focus is firmly on the future, with selectors handing opportunities to a couple of exciting young prospects. It's a classic case of out with the old and in with the new, but the reasoning behind it is pretty clear when you look at the numbers. ### Why Labuschagne Missed the Cut So, why drop a player of Labuschagne's caliber? It boils down to a prolonged run of poor form that the selectors just couldn't ignore. The 32-year-old middle-order batter has really struggled on recent tours. Against Pakistan, he managed a paltry 24 runs across three matches. Things weren't much better in Bangladesh, where he scraped together just one half-century in three games. When you zoom out, the picture gets even clearer. Over his last 18 ODI innings, Labuschagne is averaging a mere 21.87. That's just not the output you need from a key player. Selection chief George Bailey was quick to clarify this is only for the one-day side, but the message is unmistakable: performance is king. ### The New Faces Earning Their Stripes With Labuschagne out, the door has swung open for fresh talent. Stepping through are 22-year-old Joel Davies from New South Wales and 19-year-old Victorian Ollie Peake. Davies, earning his first ODI call-up, is a left-arm spinner who turned heads during his T20 debut in Bangladesh, taking three wickets for just 17 runs. That kind of impact is hard to overlook. Peake, meanwhile, keeps his spot after debuting earlier this year. He's shown glimpses of his potential during the subcontinental tours, and Bailey has praised both youngsters for their growth and raw ability. They're not the only ones benefitting from a youth movement, either. - Cooper Connolly retains his place after a stunning 149-run knock in Dhaka. - He also provides a handy second left-arm spin option for the team. - The selectors are clearly looking to build a squad with multiple skills. ### Who Else Is In and Out? Labuschagne isn't the only notable absence. Matt Short, Ben Dwarshuis, Todd Murphy, Liam Scott, and spinner Matthew Kuhnemann also missed selection. That leaves Adam Zampa as the sole specialist spinner in the 17-man group, which is an interesting tactical choice for the conditions. On the brighter side, some key stars are making their return. Travis Head and captain Mitchell Marsh are back to open the batting after missing the last tours. The fast-bowling department looks particularly fearsome, with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins rejoining for the South Africa leg. Josh Hazlewood will feature in both series, and there's a welcome return for Spencer Johnson after a long injury layoff. Billy Stanlake's inclusion ends a long wait for an international comeback, rounding out a pace attack built to exploit African pitches. As one selector put it, "We're balancing experience with the need to develop players who can win us the next World Cup. It's never an easy process." ### Sorting Out the Captaincy Leadership duties will be shared on this tour. Mitchell Marsh will take the reins for the matches in Zimbabwe, while regular skipper Pat Cummins will step back in for the South Africa series. Cummins has only played two ODIs since the 2023 World Cup, so this is a crucial return for him. Bailey seems confident in the team's leadership depth, and this split responsibility allows Marsh to continue growing as a captain while ensuring Cummins is ready to lead when it matters most. It's a sensible approach for a long tour with different challenges. All in all, this squad announcement tells us a lot about where Australian cricket is headed. They're willing to make tough calls on established players to blood the next generation. It's a gamble, for sure, but one they believe is necessary to stay on top of the world game. The performances in Africa will show us if that bet pays off.