Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood rested for England white-ball series

Australia have decided to rest Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for the upcoming white-ball series against England, prioritising their physical freshness for a punishing summer of Test cricket. According to the Guardian ^[1], the decision reflects the team’s need to navigate a schedule that includes 10 Tests in just 14 weeks, starting with the New Zealand series in December.

The BBC reported ^[2] that while Cummins formally remains the ODI captain, Mitchell Marsh will step in to lead the side, as Cummins has only played one 50-over fixture since November 2024. Starc, 36, has already retired from the T20 format, while Hazlewood is also excluded from the shorter format squad. The trio played every ball of the recent Test series defeat by South Africa, which ended 2-1.

In their absence, selectors have handed debuts to rising stars. The Independent noted ^[3] that 21-year-old Mahli Beardman will make his national one-day debut after impressive performances for Australia A. Uncapped New South Wales batter Lachlan Shaw also joins the T20 squad for the first time, having impressed in the Big Bash League.

Several key batsmen, including Travis Head and Cameron Green, will be managed through the T20 series but are included for the ODIs. They are transitioning directly from tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa, leaving a narrow window for physical preparation before facing New Zealand. Chair of selectors George Bailey stated that players must be