Mitchell Owen has earned a place in Australia’s ODI squad following an aggressive batting display in his debut T20I series, while skipper Pat Cummins and pace spearhead Mitchell Starc will remain rested.
Although Owen’s overall List A stats remain modest, the 23-year-old has already shown his explosive potential. He impressed during his T20I debut against the West Indies, playing with fearless aggression that caught the selectors’ attention. His performances and promise have now landed him a spot in the ODI squad for the upcoming series against South Africa.
The three-match ODI series, part of the build-up to the Australian summer, will be played in the country’s “Top End” — at venues in Darwin, Mackay, and Cairns, rather than the traditional major grounds.
Both Cummins and Starc have been rested for the ODI and T20I series. In Cummins’ absence, Mitchell Marsh will captain the ODI squad in addition to leading the T20 side.
While Cummins and Starc sit out, experienced pacer Josh Hazlewood is part of both squads. Travis Head returns after a rest, while Matthew Short is back from injury.
Owen’s selection in the ODI squad came as something of a surprise. He has played just 17 List A matches, scoring 326 runs at an average of 25.07 with only one fifty. However, that lone half-century was unforgettable — a blistering 149 off 69 balls, including 10 sixes, for Tasmania against South Australia at Adelaide Oval in February. That remains his most recent List A game.
His call-up is largely a reward for his recent T20I performances. On debut, he smashed a rapid fifty, followed by a 17-ball 37 in the final game of the series. He ended the West Indies series with a strike rate of 192.50 and hit 12 sixes in five matches. His handy medium-pace bowling adds further value to his selection.
Although Owen began his career in the middle order, he made headlines in last season’s Big Bash League by opening the batting and hitting two centuries. His List A hundred also came as an opener. But against the West Indies, he played more of a finisher’s role in the middle order — raising curiosity about where he’ll bat in the ODI setup.
Lance Morris also returns to the ODI squad after a long injury layoff. Often labeled one of the fastest bowlers in Australia, Morris has struggled with recurring back issues. He’s played three ODIs so far, the last one in November. The management is being cautious with his return, aiming to prepare him for all formats.
Several players from the T20 squad that swept the West Indies 5-0 have missed out this time — including Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cooper Connolly, Aaron Hardie, and Xavier Bartlett. Though Hardie contributed well in the final two games, only Bartlett finds a place in the ODI squad.
Australia last played ODIs in March during the Champions Trophy. From that squad, Fraser-McGurk, Connolly, Hardie, Sean Abbott, and Tanveer Sangha are not part of the current ODI team. However, Abbott remains in the T20 squad.
This series marks Australia’s first ODI outing since the retirements of Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell.
The T20 series against South Africa will begin with matches on August 10 and 12 in Darwin, followed by the final game in Cairns on August 16. The ODI series begins in Cairns on August 19, with the remaining matches in Mackay on August 22 and 24.
South Africa has already named its squad for the tour.
Australia T20 Squad
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.
Australia ODI Squad
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Lance Morris, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Adam Zampa.
