Head, Test Bowlers Ruled Out Of BBL; Smith, Labuschagne, Khawaja Cleared For Limited Games

Head, Test bowlers ruled out of BBL; Smith, Labuschagne, Khawaja cleared for limited games (Image Source: IANS)

Big Bash League: Travis Head and Australian bowlers, who were part of the five-match Test series against India, are ruled out of the remainder of the Big Bash League (BBL).

Head, along with Scott Boland, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, and Mitchell Starc, will not participate in the BBL season despite being contracted players.

Steve Smith is set to play three BBL matches before the Sri Lanka tour while Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja will each appear in only one match as part of individualised plans designed by Cricket Australia’s high-performance team.

While Smith, Labuschagne, and Khawaja face restrictions, Alex Carey, Sam Konstas, Beau Webster, Mitchell Marsh, and Jhye Richardson have been cleared to participate in the remainder of the BBL season.

Australia are expected to announce a 16-man squad for the two-Test series in Sri Lanka in the coming days. The squad will depart for a pre-tour camp in the UAE on January 19 or 20, making the touring players unavailable for the BBL finals, scheduled from January 21 to 27.

It remains uncertain if all squad members from the recent Sydney Test against India will be included in the Sri Lanka tour. Josh Inglis, Peter Handscomb, Todd Murphy, and Matthew Kuhnemann are potential inclusions.

Glenn Maxwell is also under consideration, but with Australia already qualified for the World Test Championship (WTC) final, his subcontinental expertise might not be required, and selectors may look ahead to the 2027 tour of India when shaping the squad.

Smith will miss the Sydney Sixers’ match against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Thursday but is set to play against the Perth Scorchers at the SCG on Saturday. Marsh and Richardson, included in the Scorchers’ squad, are also expected to feature in their game against the Renegades on Tuesday night.

Smith is also available for the Sixers’ matches against the Adelaide Strikers on January 15 and Sydney Thunder on January 17, where Konstas will also play.

Konstas is set to appear in all four remaining games for the Thunder, starting with their clash against the Hobart Hurricanes in Sydney tomorrow night.

Labuschagne and Khawaja will return for the Brisbane Heat's home match against the Hurricanes on January 16, following a 10-day break. However, they will not play in the Heat’s final regular-season game against the Renegades in Melbourne on January 18, as they are likely to depart for the UAE the next day.

Carey has been cleared to play in the Adelaide Strikers’ final three matches, including a match in Perth on January 18. Webster is expected to be available for the Stars’ game on January 19. It is understood that some players could make staggered departures to the UAE to accommodate their BBL commitments.

Head, contracted to the Strikers, has opted out of the BBL to rest following the Sydney Test. With an IPL contract and a packed international schedule - including tours to Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, England, and the Caribbean - he faces a grueling travel schedule extending until July.

Starc, Hazlewood, and Cummins are also bracing for a demanding calendar. Cummins is likely to miss both Tests in Sri Lanka due to the impending birth of his second child, while Hazlewood might be sidelined with a calf injury.

Lyon, despite a light workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has been rested from the BBL. At 37 and recovering from a major calf injury in 2023, he is being managed to ensure peak performance for the Galle Tests, where he is expected to lead Australia’s bowling attack.

Cricket Australia’s high-performance team and the BBL have worked to balance player availability during the brief window between the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the Sri Lanka tour.

"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 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."

Article Source: IANS