Australia announce Playing XI for first ODI: Sportsrush presents before you Australia’s playing XI for the Sydney ODI against India.

Australia have announced their playing XI ahead of the first of the three-match ODI series against India at Sydney. The biggest highlight of the same is the comeback of veteran fast bowler Peter Siddle. It is worth mentioning that Siddle had played his last ODI at the same venue in 2010.

“It’s something I’d probably forgotten about really. I never thought I’d get the opportunity to play one-day cricket for Australia again. So yeah I feel like a young kid getting this first opportunity, so it’s pretty nice to get that phone call and be around the squad and have the potential to play an ODI after a long time away,” Siddle had told the media yesterday.

In another major development, Australia will send a new opening pair of captain Aaron Finch and wicket-keeper batsman Alex Carey. The latter will be rejoiced to be given an opportunity to bat at his preferred batting position.

“It’s just an opportunity to see Alex play in a position he’s done quite bit in Big Bash and one-day cricket. It’s a position he’s performed really well with in the last couple of years.

“He’s been shuffled around the order a bit in the last little while trying to search for that process and right balance of the side and he’ll get a good opportunity up there,” Finch was quoted as saying in the press conference.

The duo will be followed by the left-handed pair of Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh. While both of them will be given the responsibility to anchor the innings, the trio of Peter Handscomb, Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell would be expected to finish the Australian innings on a high note.

“The idea to have Pete [Handscomb] at No. 5 is to have a really good player of spin and a guy who can potentially bat through the innings, that type of solid player in the middle and let the guys play around him,” Finch said of Handscomb, who last played an ODI in 2017.

Australia refrained from playing two spinners in their lineup which meant that Nathan Lyon was picked ahead of Adam Zampa. Other than Siddle, Australia have named two fast bowlers in Jhye Richardson and uncapped Jason Behrendorff, which means that Billy Stanlake will have to sit out for the first ODI.

Australia announce Playing XI for first ODI against India

1) Aaron Finch (c) 2) Alex Carey (wk) 3) Usman Khawaja 4) Shaun Marsh 5) Peter Handscomb 6) Marcus Stoinis 7) Glenn Maxwell 8) Nathan Lyon 9) Peter Siddle 10) Jhye Richardson 11) Jason Behrendorff