Australian Test stars get varied directives for BBL participation ahead of their test series away to Sri Lanka.
Australian Test stars have been given different instructions with regards to their participation in the ongoing Big Bash League (BBL).
As part of separate plans arranged with Cricket Australia’s high-performance squad, Steven Smith will play three BBL games before the Sri Lanka tour, while Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja would only be permitted to play one. Meanwhile, Australia’s bowlers including Travis Head are scheduled to have a break before travelling abroad.
Alex Carey, Sam Konstas, Beau Webster, Mitchell Marsh, and Jhye Richardson have all been cleared to play in the remaining BBL games, while Smith, Labuschagne, and Khawaja will have limited playing time.
Despite having contracts, Head, Scott Boland, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc will not participate in the BBL season.
In the next few days, Australia is expected to announce a 16-man touring party for two Test matches in Sri Lanka. The team is scheduled to leave for the United Arab Emirates for a pre-tour camp on January 19 or 20, therefore none of the touring party will be available for the January 21–27 BBL finals series.
With Josh Inglis, Peter Handscomb, Todd Murphy, and Matthew Kuhnemann all potentially included, it is unclear if the entire squad from the Sydney Test match against India would be brought to Sri Lanka. Glenn Maxwell has the opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka as well, but as Australia has been guaranteed a place in the World Test Championship, there is less need for his subcontinental experience, and the selectors may decide to base their squad selection on the 2027 tour to India.
Smith will be available to play against the Perth Scorches at the SCG on Saturday, despite missing the Sydney Sixers’ match against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Thursday. Marsh and Richardson will also participate, since they were selected in the Scorchers’ squad to play the Renegades at home on Tuesday night.
Smith will then be allowed to play against the Sydney Thunder on January 17. Konstas will also be playing, and the Adelaide Strikers on January 15. Konstas will play for Thunder against the Hobart Hurricanes in Sydney tomorrow night and in Thunder’s final four games. This even though the fifth Test ended a few days ago.
The availability of the Test stars during this brief window between the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the Sri Lanka tour has long been a topic of discussion between the BBL and CA’s high-performance team. The national selectors, coaches, and medical staff were eager to have as many of their stars take advantage of this valuable break from international cricket, while the BBL was eager to have all players available for as many games as possible. Ben Oliver, CA’s head of National Teams, stated that each program’s requirements had been taken into consideration while determining each player’s BBL availability.
“A five-Test match series is gruelling, and this was amplified by the intensity of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” Oliver said. “The players and staff deserve great credit for their preparation and management which has enabled sustained performance through what is a full international schedule.
“We have worked with each player to form individualised plans which will best support recovery from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and preparation for upcoming international commitments including the tour of Sri Lanka and ICC Champions Trophy. Wherever possible, this includes players representing their clubs in the ongoing BBL season over the coming fortnight.”
BBL general manager Alistair Dobson was pleased to get some of the Test stars playing in the competition over the next fortnight.
“We are delighted to have number of Australian Test players entering the competition from tonight off the back of their historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory, and thank them for their commitment to the BBL,” Dobson said.