Why are Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood & Mitchell Starc not in Australia's ODI squad for Bangladesh?
Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc last played in IPL 2026.
Australia’s white-ball series against Bangladesh is scheduled to begin with three ODIs in Dhaka on June 9, followed by three T20Is in Chattogram. The Kangaroos come after a thumping defeat against Pakistan, where they lost the ODI series 2-1.
Australia‘s ODI squad for the Bangladesh tour was officially announced in early May. However, a revised version of this squad was later updated on June 8.
Josh Inglis will lead the ODI squad in place of Mitchell Marsh, who is suffering from an ankle injury and is set to miss the ODI series. Inglis also led the Aussies in the series against Pakistan.
On the other hand, Travis Head will miss the campaign due to personal reasons. He has requested leave after IPL 2026 to spend time with his family. Tanveer Sangha has also been ruled out due to a hamstring injury he sustained during the second ODI against Pakistan.
Matthew Short and Oliver Peake continue to be a part of the squad. Meanwhile, Todd Murphy has been added to the squad, and Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis return to the side.
However, a few exclusions caught the attention of many fans and experts. The star pace trio of Australia – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood were not a part of the ODI squad.
Why is the pace trio absent from Bangladesh ODIs?
The trio was last seen in the recently concluded Indian Premier League 2026, where Josh Hazlewood played a key role in RCB’s title-winning campaign.
Cricket Australia has confirmed that they are resting their senior fast bowlers for the series, as they have a busy schedule starting from August, which includes Tests against Bangladesh, South Africa, New Zealand and later India.
“But if you actually work back from 2027 and look what we’ve got coming up, this is the last significant break that we get to be able to invest into their bodies to set themselves up to get all the way through 2027. So we are planning for them to be there in 2027. I think there needs to be a lot of trust in what we’re doing to be able to get them there. It’s going to be a significant challenge”, said the Australian coach Andrew McDonald.
The pace trio are managing their workload with Australia’s Medical and Strength and Conditioning staff. The team management intends to keep their core players fit and active ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027.
The head coach also spoke clearly about the discussions he had with the players in this regard and the formats they play. Aussies are eyeing the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 Final, and the ICC Cricket World Cup coming up in that same year.
When will Australia play their next ODI series?
Australia will clash with Bangladesh in a three-match ODI series starting June 9.
Who will captain Australia in the ODI series against Bangladesh?
Josh Inglis has been appointed to lead Australia against Bangladesh.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.