Labuschagne omitted as Aussies reveal ODI squad for Africa tour

Marnus Labuschagne has fallen out of Australia's plans for their World Cup title defence, with the dumped ODI batter now sweating on whether a similar fate awaits for his Test spot. 

Labuschagne has been left out of a full-strength Australian ODI squad named for back-to-back series in Zimbabwe and South Africa later this month. The right-hander, one of the heroes of the Ahmedabad World Cup final heist in 2023, has scored both his ODI centuries in his native South Africa, one of the co-hosts (along with Zimbabwe and Namibia) of next year's World Cup.

The 32-year-old has missed just five of Australia's last 56 ODIs dating back to late-2022 and shaped as a crucial middle-order anchor in the wake of Steve Smith's ODI retirement last year.

Youngsters Cooper Connolly, Oliver Peake and Joel Davies have made the cut instead while captain Mitch Marsh and fellow opener Travis Head are returning after missing the 50-over series in Pakistan and Bangladesh earlier this year.

Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins (SA only), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc (SA only), Adam Zampa

Labuschagne, averaging 21.87 from his last 18 ODI innings, was already on shaky ground having been shunted down to No.7 for the second ODI in Dhaka. Given similarly poor recent returns in the Test arena, his international future may hinge on whether selectors keep faith with him for next month's three-Test series against the Proteas. The squad for the Tests is expected to be named next week.

Selectors have previously stressed the panel does not link ODI and Test form. "Totally different formats," coach Andrew McDonald told cricket.com.au when asked about Labuschagne in June. "Would it be nicer if he was making runs in one-day cricket going into a Test series? Yeah – there's that old adage that 'runs are runs'.

"But when it would come to a conversation around (Test) selection, it would be pretty much ring fenced to red-ball cricket and Test cricket."

All the 'big three' fast bowlers have been named but Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc will only arrive for the three matches in South Africa. Along with Josh Hazlewood, the star trio have flagged the white-ball games are serving the greater purpose of preparing them for the ensuing Tests.  

No captain has been named in the squad. Marsh will lead the side for the three matches in Zimbabwe before Cummins, the official ODI captain who has only played two 50-over matches since the last World Cup, returns for South Africa.

But Cummins has already flagged he will not play all three ODIs there, leaving Marsh to fill in again – as he has done 15 times since Cummins was appointed.

"This six-game series is an important lead-in to next year's World Cup, being played in the same countries, for the group," selection chief George Bailey said in a statement.

"As such it's great to have Mitch (Marsh), Travis and Josh returning, then Pat and Mitch (Starc) for the SA leg. This gives us our core of players mixed with some we think will continue to make an impression.

"For Ollie and Joel, who we rate very highly, it’s another fantastic opportunity and a further chance for them to continue their exposure and growth in the Australian team."

There are considerable fast-bowling reinforcements. Spencer Johnson will play his first ODIs in more than a year following a successful T20I comeback in June, while Nathan Ellis, Xavier Bartlett and Billy Stanlake are all in the 17-player touring party.

Davies is in line to make his ODI debut after he played his first games for Australia in Chattogram against Bangladesh in June, giving Australia a second left-arm spinning allrounder alongside Connolly, who has recently resumed bowling after recovering from a back stress concern.

There will be a squeeze on top-order positions after Connolly's breakthrough 149 in the third ODI in Dhaka. Head and Marsh are certain to knock him out of the opening spot, while Josh Inglis also mainly batted in the top three on the subcontinental tours.

Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann is the other notable omission from the Pakistan and Bangladesh ODIs earlier this year with Adam Zampa the sole specialist tweaker on less spin-friendly African pitches.

Johnson is the only crossover player between the ODI and the Australia A squads that were named on Tuesday morning, with the left-arm quick picked in the A one-day series that begins a week after the final ODI in Potchefstroom.

Qantas tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: September 15, Harare Sports Club, 5:30pm AEST (9:30am local)

Second ODI: September 18, Harare Sports Club, 5:30pm AEST (9:30am local)

Third ODI: September 20, Harare Sports Club, 5:30pm AEST (9:30am local)

First ODI: September 24, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Second ODI: September 27, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 9:30pm AEST (D/N, 1:30pm local)

Warm-up match: October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 6pm AEST (10am local)

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7pm AEDT (10am local)