Ricky Ponting overawed by Josh Inglis’ presence: The former Australian captain has expressed satisfaction around Australia’s T20 World Cup squad.
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Almost a couple of months after Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch had hinted at “going on current form” to select Australia’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, Australian selectors have recalled all first-choice players who had missed the most recent tours of West Indies and Bangladesh.
The development means that players such as Pat Cummins, David Warner, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Kane Richardson will all take part in the upcoming world event to be played in the UAE.
The development means an ouster from the T20I squad for the likes of Alex Carey, Moises Henriques, Josh Philippe, Ashton Turner, Jhye Richardson, Andrew Tye and Jason Behrendorff.
In addition to a 15-member squad, Australian selectors have also named a total of three reserve players namely Daniel Christian, Nathan Ellis and Daniel Sams.
ALSO READ: New Zealand squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2021
While spinner Mitchell Swepson has retained his position of a third spin-bowling option behind Adam Zampa and Ashton Agar, the selection committee led by former Australia captain George Bailey have named an uncapped wicket-keeper batsman in Josh Inglis in the main squad.
“Josh [Inglis] has been on our radar for some time with his performances in white ball cricket and more recently in the Vitality Blast where he topped the run charts.
“He offers the squad flexibility in the batting order with his adaptability, counterattacking ability and power striking. He is a player we are excited about for the future,” Bailey was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
Ricky Ponting overawed by Josh Inglis’ presence in Australian squad for T20 World Cup 2021
Inglis, who has been a consistent run-scorer in the T20 circuit in the last year or so, had impressed former Australia captain Ricky Ponting to the extent that the legendary player had recommended his name for a T20I debut before the World Cup.
While the selectors couldn’t accommodate Inglis in West Indies and Bangladesh, the 26-year old player getting a nod for the showpiece event has impressed Ponting to a large extent. Not known for mincing words, Ponting considers the “brilliant squad” is capable of winning the World Cup, which will be Australia’s first in the shortest format.
Awesome to see Inglis get his opportunity in the squad, he’s been scoring runs for fun and if Ellis is called on it’s a great story for how far he’s come since moving to Tassie. Overall it’s a brilliant squad of players that I think are capable of winning the World Cup. https://t.co/jc0WeLf4Hx
— Ricky Ponting AO (@RickyPonting) August 19, 2021
Before representing London Spirit under England captain Eoin Morgan in The Hundred, Inglis had played for Leicestershire Foxes in Vitality T20 Blast amassing 531 runs in innings at an average and strike rate of 48.27 and 175.82 respectively including two centuries and a half-century.
In the three seasons that Inglis has played for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, he has scored 941 runs in 37 innings at an average and strike rate of 29.41 and 143.45 respectively.
Australia T20 squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2021
Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Adam Zampa.
Travelling reserves – Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams.
