Australia Announce Pace-Heavy 16-Man Squad For South Africa Tests; Marnus Labuschagne Retained Despite Prolonged Batting Slump

Melbourne: Australia have announced a pace-heavy squad for next month's three-match ICC World Test Championship series in South Africa, with batter Marnus Labuschagne's retention being one of the highlights.

It will mark their first meeting since last year's World Test Championship Final at Lord's and will be pivotal in deciding which sides reach next year's decider at The Oval, as per the ICC.

The Aussies have included all their experienced fast bowlers in the 16-player squad, while out-of-form batter Labuschagne is retained despite a lean recent run that has not seen the right-hander score a century since July 2023. Since 2023, the batter has averaged below 30 in the 22 matches played.

Labuschagne is included in a batting group that includes Travis Head, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith and Cooper Connolly, while all-rounders Cameron Green and Beau Webster also win a spot in the squad for the series that commences in Durban on October 9.

Three new players are added to the squad that missed out on the recent series at home against Bangladesh, with Connolly, Matthew Kuhnemann and Michael Neser the additions to the playing group as extra cover for the different conditions the Aussies are expecting in South Africa.

"This is a reasonably condensed three-game series, on the back of six one-day internationals, with only short breaks between each game," Chair of Selectors George Bailey said, as quoted by the ICC.

"The squad provides balance and options for each Test and the variety of conditions we may face."

The tour is the first time Australia have travelled to South Africa for a Test series since the infamous series in 2018, with just five players - skipper Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Smith and Renshaw - having previously been included in a touring party.

Australia currently sit in first place on the World Test Championship standings, with reigning champions South Africa in second. Australia will enter the series after they tied 1-1 with Bangladesh earlier this month.

Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster

Series schedule:

First Test: October 9-13, Durban

Second Test: October 18-22, Gqeberha

Third Test: October 27-31, Johannesburg.

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