Cricket Australia (CA) and Big Bash League (BBL) worked together to formulate a player availibility plan for the Test stars for the rest of the tournament, following a gruelling five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India. While all-rounder Mitchell Marsh and pacer Jhye Richardson played for the Perth Scorchers' clash against the Melbourne Renegades on Tuesday, January 7, opener Sam Konstas was named in Sydney Thunder's squad for the Wednesday game at the Showground Stadium against the Hobart Hurricanes.
Marsh, Richardson, Konstas along with Sean Abbott (Sydney Sixers) Beau Webster (Melbourne Stars) and Alex Carey (Adelaide Strikers) will be available for their respective sides for the rest of the BBL 14. However, It wasn't the same for the others. Steve Smith has been allowed to play just three games for the Sixers, starting January 11 from Scorchers clash onwards. Meanwhile, the Brisbane Heat duo of Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja will have a 10 days' rest before playing the solitary game for their side on January 16 against the Hurricanes.
The list of players getting ruled out is a bit longer. Travis Head, who will have an unstoppable schedule from the Sri Lanka series onwards, with Champions Trophy, the IPL, the WTC final and the West Indies Test series to follow, has been ruled out. Similarly for all the four pacers including captain Pat Cummins, the Sixers duo of Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and Stars' Scott Boland, who too will not be playing in the BBL. Nathan Lyon, despite the low workload during the India series, will also be unavailable for the Renegades. Lyon is yet to play a single match for the Renegades after signing up for the side in 2023.
"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 Sri Lanka tour and ICC Champions Trophy (in February)," Ben Oliver, CA's executive GM said.
"Wherever possible, this includes players representing their clubs in the ongoing BBL season over the coming fortnight," he added.
The Test squad is set to leave for Dubai on January 19-20 for a preparatory camp before the two Test matches in Sri Lanka starting January 29. Hence, the players getting picked for the Test team for Sri Lanka, will not be available for the playoffs for their respective sides. The likes of Todd Murphy, Matt Kuhnemann, Josh Inglis and Peter Handscomb are also in the mix to get picked for the two Test matches with Abbott likely to be cover for Cummins' absence since Hazlewood too is unlikely to tour as he is nursing his calf injury.
