An introduction to international cricket that’s been as hard as they come will continue for newcomer Ollie Peake, the teen batting star who is set for more Australia opportunities with Travis Head and Mitch Marsh confirmed to miss another ODI series.
Peake will be joined in Bangladesh for this week’s three-match ODI series by off-spinner Todd Murphy, who has seven Test caps but is yet to play limited-overs cricket for Australia, as well as Matt Short, who has also been retained from the Pakistan series given the absence of Marsh (ankle) and Head (personal leave).
Head will also be absent for the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh that follows, with a replacement to be announced later.
The 2023 ODI world champs’ first-choice white-ball openers were initially slated to return for the 50-over series in Dhaka.
Australia squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Josh Inglis (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Adam Zampa
“We were hopeful Mitch Marsh would be available for the Bangladesh ODI series however he is still returning to full fitness from an ankle injury,” said national selector Tony Dodemaide. “Mitch will join the group in Dhaka and begin preparations for the T20I Series.
“Travis was initially selected in the ODI and T20I legs of this Bangladesh tour but has subsequently been granted personal leave for both. We look forward to seeing him again for the top end Test Series against Bangladesh.”
Josh Inglis will stay on as captain of an ODI side that could for the first time include Murphy, who replaces Tanveer Sangha after the leg-spinner picked up a hamstring injury in Lahore.
Peake and Short, both initially named only for the Pakistan ODIs, will now both stay on for the three one-dayers in Bangladesh’s capital in the absence of Marsh and Head. IPL pacemen Xavier Bartlett and Ben Dwarshuis have also joined the squad as originally flagged, replacing Billy Stanlake and Riley Meredith, though the latter is scheduled to be back for the T20Is.
Short holds his spot after impressing with both bat (hitting a half-century in the first ODI) and ball (four wickets with his off-spin in the final two ODIs) in Pakistan. Yet it’s Peake who might be the biggest beneficiary of the absence of Australia’s two most senior ODI batters.
The 19-year-old former U19 World Cup captain had long been considered one of Australia’s most promising recent batting prospects, but his international debut in Pakistan came faster than most anticipated.
He had only played only six List A matches before the tour and is yet to hit a century at senior level. But his run-a-ball 31 in Australia’s second ODI win in Lahore, batting in an unfamiliar spot at No.7 on a turning surface, highlighted his rare composure that’s been identified as the main reason behind him being fast-tracked.
Inglis has lauded the left-hander, the youngest specialist batter to debut for Australian in men’s 50-over cricket, in how he has handled his baptism of fire.
“It’s a great experience for them,” Inglis said of the newer squad members filling in for senior players, of whom Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are also missing from the subcontinental tours.
“I said that to Ollie Peake – ‘You don’t get harder conditions for an Australian than these, really’. It’s so foreign to us. It’s still tough for me coming back here – it’s probably my fourth time in Pakistan – it’s still really hard, even now.
“So I just told him just to take it all in. I think a lot of the guys are still learning in these conditions, learning their game plans, how to combat reverse swing, spin, that sort of thing.”
More of that could await in Bangladesh, where Australia have typically encountered dry, spinning pitches on previous visits.
Their most recent visit, a five-T20I series in 2021, was played on a number of diabolically difficult batting strips at Dhaka’s main stadium in Mirpur. Turning conditions also prevailed in April for the venue’s most recent ODIs, in which neither New Zealand nor Bangladesh passed 250.
Inglis has acknowledged the challenge is immense even for Australia’s more experienced batters, many of whom like Head, Cameron Green (who made 0, 53 and 7 in Pakistan) and Cooper Connolly (3 in the final ODI) are fresh off the IPL’s batting paradises.
Marnus Labuschagne (0, 5 and then run out for 19 after a mix-up with Inglis in the final ODI) and Alex Carey (19, 0 and 19) also failed to make an impact.
Inglis himself had no such troubles, continuing his blazing form as Marsh’s opening partner at the Lucknow Super Giants to be the series’ leading run-scorer in Pakistan with two half-centuries taking him to 129 runs at 43 from three innings.
“Greeny’s come from T20 cricket and it’s obviously pretty hard, and those conditions aren’t easy out there,” Inglis said when asked about Labuschagne and Green on Thursday.
“When you’re playing games every two days and you’re not in good rhythm and you’re not in good form, it can be hard to get out of. They’re both fantastic players, and I’m sure they’ll be back scoring runs soon.”
Qantas Tour of Bangladesh 2026
Australia squad for Bangladesh ODIs: Josh Inglis (c), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Liam Scott, Matt Short, Adam Zampa
June 9: First ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
June 11: Second ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
June 14: Third ODI, Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Dhaka, 3pm AEST
Australia squad for Bangladesh T20Is: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Matthew Kuhnemann, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Adam Zampa
June 17: First T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
June 19: Second T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
June 21: Third T20I, Bir Sreshtho Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium, Chattogram, 6pm AEST
All matches exclusive on Kayo Sports and Fox Cricket
