Top Aussies in doubt for BD, WI tours

Australia set to tour Bangladesh and West Indies for white-ball cricket ahead of T20 World Cup, in August. With two away tours coming up and considering the bio-bubble environment and quarantine rules, many of the top players might pull out of the tour.

Cricket Australia (CA) announced a 23-member squad for the West Indies series in May. They added six more cricketers to the squad on Tuesday. They are Dan Christian, Ben McDermott, Cameron Green, Ashton Turner, Wes Agar and Nathan Ellis. However, many experienced cricketers are likely to miss the series Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, David Warner, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Marcus Stoinis, Kane Richardson, and Riley Meredith. According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, Cricket Australia (CA) selection chief Trevor Hohns said, “During the course of those discussions, it has become clear that recent experiences abroad, including but not limited to extended periods in bio-secure hubs and hard quarantine, have had an impact on the health and wellbeing of some players and their families,”

“CA has maintained that the wellbeing of players, staff and officials is a top priority, and never more so than during the COVID-19 pandemic given the extraordinary challenges it has placed upon international athletes and sporting teams,” he added. Meanwhile, another Australian media reported that David Warner and Pat Cummins have asked for a rest on the West Indies tour as the Hundred will run in England at that time. Australia will play five T20Is and three ODIs against West Indies starting from July 10 and then they travel to Bangladesh to play five more T20I games in August.