ESPNcricinfo
There is no guarantee from Australia’s selectors that all the players who made themselves unavailable for tours of West Indies and Bangladesh will immediately return to the fold for the T20 World Cup if others take the chance to impress in their place.
David Warner, Pat Cummins, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis withdrew from contention for the upcoming tours for a variety of personal reasons while Daniel Sams, who contracted Covid-19 in India before the IPL, had previously opted out to manage his mental health.
Trevor Hohns, the national selector, reiterated that individual player circumstances were understood and respected at a time where international cricket requires bubbles and quarantine but admitted it was “frustrating” not to be able to have a full squad together with the World Cup four months away.
“We are obviously disappointed that they made themselves unavailable, but we totally understand and respect their decision,” Hohns said. “In saying that we also see it as a good opportunity for others who have been included to push their case for inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad.
I also see it as a good test of our depth.
“If a player wishes to make himself unavailable that’s his prerogative to do so, we can’t force them to go on a tour but what we can say is that they are giving someone else an opportunity.”
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