Australia recall Mahli Beardman for England series; Fraser-McGurk returns to T20I squad
The troika of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood have been rested with an eye on the Tests against New Zealand
Following impressive returns for Australia A on the recent tour of India, Mahli Beardman has been recalled to the Australia limited-overs squads for the upcoming home series against England, which includes three One-Day Internationals and five T20Is.
The 21-year pacer last featured for Australia in a solitary ODI in January 2026, and is yet to make his debut in the shortest format. Meanwhile, the Australian selectors have also recalled Jack Edwards, Spencer Johnson and Liam Scott in the ODI side.
With the home Test series against New Zealand to follow, the veteran pace trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood weren’t considered for selection. They will will undergo a short ‘de-load’ following the three-Test tour of South Africa and begin their preparation for 10 straight Test matches at home and in India.
Pacer Nathan Ellis, who is recovering from a side strain, will miss the ODIs but has been included in the T20I squad.
Meanwhile, Edwards has also been recalled in the T20I squad alongside Jake Fraser-McGurk, who last played for Australia in July 2025. Lachlan Shaw has also earned his maiden call-up to the national side following impressive performances on the recent Australia A tour to India and in the BBL.
The workload of Travis Head, Matthew Renshaw, Josh Inglis, Cooper Connolly and Cameron Green will be managed through the T20 Series following long tours to Zimbabwe and South Africa, as they prepare for the New Zealand series immediately followed by five Test matches in India. Both teams will be led by Mitchell Marsh.
Speaking on the team selection, George Bailey, the chair of selectors, said, “These ODI and T20 matches provide several players, many of whom have had opportunities on recent tours, with a great chance to further demonstrate their ability against very strong opposition.
"Liam Scott returns to the ODI squad and we are excited by the fact he learns from each opportunity and have seen him grow his game on the back of strong performances over the past 12-18 months.
"Mahli Beardman's recent performances for Australia A were impressive and we are incredibly excited for his return to the national team across the ODI and T20 formats. We think he can continue to develop into an all-format player across the coming years.
"Lachie Shaw is a highly talented cricketer we also think will develop quickly and has a powerful game that will impact in the T20 format. Sam Harper has performed strongly in domestic cricket. He is in a great place with his game right now and is executing his style of cricket consistently, across all formats.
"Jake (Fraser-McGurk) and Mitch (Owen) return to the T20 side and we believe their ball-striking can be a point of difference in the shorter formats.They are good examples of players who have had an opportunity at the International level and have continued working on their game from what they learnt from those experiences."
Bailey further elaborated on the multi-format regulars being rested either partially or wholly for the series, with an eye on a demanding Test schedule that will see Australia host New Zealand and tour India, before returning for the 150th Anniversary Test against England.
“We are in the middle of a highly demanding phase of our schedule,” Bailey said. "Our multi-format players are transitioning directly from the tour of South Africa into an ODI and T20 series, leaving a narrow window to ensure the squad is physically prepared and fresh for the upcoming New Zealand Test series.
"Then, from when the Test players assemble in Perth through to the conclusion of the 150th Anniversary Test against England, the team will have been on the road for more than 100 days. To manage this workload, each player’s build-up to the New Zealand series will be carefully planned and focused on individual's physical and mental preparation.”
