Australia overhaul T20 squad ahead of third match against India

Guwahati, Nov 28 (IANS) Australia on Tuesday confirmed changes to the T20 squad ahead of the third T20I match against India as Steve Smith, Adam Zampa, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Josh Inglis, and Marcus Stonis set to head home, here on Tuesday

World Cup 2023 winners Steve Smith and Adam Zampa are understood to have already flown home ahead of Tuesday's third match at Barsapara Stadium, while Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, and Sean Abbott will all return tomorrow.

Wicket-keeper batter Josh Phillippe and Ben McDermott have already joined the squad and are available for the third T20. Ben Dwarshuis and spinner Chris Green will join the squad in Raipur ahead of the fourth match.

Green has played 190 T20I matches in the IPL, Pakistan, the Caribbean and the UK as well as the Big Bash, but most recently had emerged as a force for the NSW Blues in domestic one-day and first-class cricket.

The changes leave Travis Head as the only player from Australia's victorious World Cup squad to remain in India, along with Tanveer Sangha who travelled with the squad as a reserve. Head, who struck a century in a player-of-the-match performance in the World Cup final as Australia lifted its sixth World Cup title is yet to feature in the T20 series.

Australia are scheduled to play 10 T20 internationals (plus any warm-up matches yet to be confirmed) before next year's T20 World Cup in the USA and Caribbean.

Australia face a must-win game against India on Tuesday to remain in the series as after slipping to defeat in the opening two matches.

Updated Australia T20 squad: Matthew Wade (c), Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Chris Green, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Kane Richardson