MELBOURNE: Uncapped wicket-keeper/batter Josh Inglis was the surprise inclusion in Australia’s 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup as selectors recalled paceman Pat Cummins and leading batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner for the tournament.

The strong squad quashes speculation Australia might spare some of their top players from the October-November World Cup ahead of a big summer highlighted by an Ashes series against England.

All-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, and seamer Kane Richardson also return to the Aaron Finch-captained squad after missing the tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh.

Western Australian Inglis has been included as back-up wicket-keeper to Matthew Wade after topping the runs list in England’s domestic T20 Blast with 531 at an average of 48.27 for Leicestershire.

“Josh has been on the radar for a while. His performance, and not just in T20 but across all formats, has been really impressive over the last 12 months,” selector George Bailey told reporters. “Really good player of spin, provides a few different finishing abilities ... but also really powerful as well. So he’s a really great all-round player.”

Inglis’s spot means there is no place for wicket-keeper Alex Carey, who had a poor tour of Bangladesh, scoring 35 runs in the five-match series which a depleted Australia lost 4-1.

Smith returns while still in recovery from an elbow injury, while Finch is expected to be fit for the Oct 17-Nov 14 tournament in the United Arab Emirates and Oman after recent knee surgery.

Smith said last month he could sacrifice playing at the T20 World Cup to ensure he was fit for the Ashes series, making clear Test cricket was his priority.

Finch said this week that Smith was ‘going really well’.

“The last time I spoke to him, he wasn’t having any pain batting so that was a real positive. He’s going to be such an important part of our campaign,” said the captain, who has also been beset by injury.

Finch underwent knee surgery last week after flying home from the Caribbean where he aggravated it during a T20 clash in St Lucia.

He missed the team’s subsequent ODIs against the West Indies and their tour of Bangladesh.

Finch’s knee problems followed eye surgery this year after he complained of blurry vision.

Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis and Daniel Sams will travel with the squad as reserve players.

Australia were thrashed 4-1 at the West Indies before the setback in Bangladesh but will expect to bounce back with their top players on board as they bid for a first T20 world title.

“They’re very, very hard to win and for that reason, I think you’d be mad to pick a favourite,” Bailey said of the global tournament.

Fast bowler Andrew Tye along with top-order options Alex Carey, Moises Henriques, Josh Philippe and Ashton Turner were notable omissions.

Selectors opted for four spinners — Mitchell Swepson, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa and Maxwell.

Squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Travelling reserves: Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2021