Andre Russell back in the national set up for the Caribbean side as they build towards the T20 World Cup with a full-strength squad for home series against Australia, South Africa and Pakistan
Russell returns to Windies fold for Australia showdown
Australia's bid to knock off the reigning T20 world champions on their home turf will have a further challenge with superstar allrounder Andre Russell in line to play his first international match in more than a year.
West Indies named the 33-year-old in a provisional 18-man squad captained by Kieron Pollard for their three upcoming T20 series against South Africa, Australia and Pakistan.
Russell, who is among the world's most devastating T20 players but has not played for the Windies since March last year, is in line to face Australia in July alongside the likes of Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran and Jason Holder.
Exciting young batter Shimron Hetmyer and paceman Sheldon Cottrell have also returned to the squad, but mystery spinner Sunil Narine remains on the outer.
While 24-year-old Pooran and 25-year-old Hetmyer represent two of the Caribbean's most exciting young batters, the Windies have also included veterans Dwayne Bravo (37) and Fidel Edwards (39) along with Gayle (41) and Pollard (34).
Batter Andre Fletcher, 33, who had an entertaining maiden BBL stint with the Melbourne Stars last summer, is also included.
Australia's five-match T20 and three-match ODI series, to be played in St Lucia and Barbados respectively, are sandwiched by home T20 campaigns against the Proteas (in Grenada) and Pakistan (Barbados).
The return of Russell after he skipped the Windies' T20 series against New Zealand in November to play in the Lanka Premier League is a major boost ahead of the side's defence of their T20 World Cup trophy later this year.
The former Sydney Thunder star, a devastating power-hitter who also bowls at express pace, was named in the ICC's team of the tournament in 2016 and remains one of the most coveted players on the domestic T20 circuit despite battling a crippling knee injury.
"These upcoming T20Is are crucial in terms of our preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup," said Windies coach Phil Simmons.
"We are at that point where we have identified those who we will look to be the core of the squad to defend our World Cup title.
"We won five years ago, so the next few weeks and months will be major stepping stones on the road towards defending our title and being World Champions for a third time."
Australia have not played the Windies in T20 cricket since a March 2014 meeting at the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh when a side captained by George Bailey was beaten by six wickets.
Australia last won a T20 against the Windies nine years ago in 2012 at that year's T20 World Cup in Colombo.
West Indies T20 squad: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran (vc), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr
Qantas Tour of the West Indies 2021
Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Riley Meredith, Josh Philippe, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Tanveer Sangha, D'Arcy Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa (to be trimmed before departure)
West Indies T20 squad: Kieron Pollard (c), Nicholas Pooran (vc), Fabian Allen, Dwayne Bravo, Sheldon Cottrell, Fidel Edwards, Andre Fletcher, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Evin Lewis, Obed McCoy, Andre Russell, Lendl Simmons, Kevin Sinclair, Oshane Thomas, Hayden Walsh Jr
First T20: July 9, Daren Sammy Stadium, St Lucia, 7.30pm (July 10, 9.30am AEST)
Second T20: July 10, Daren Sammy Stadium, St Lucia, 7.30pm (July 11 9.30am AEST)
Third T20: July 12, Daren Sammy Stadium, St Lucia, 7.30pm (July 13, 9.30am AEST)
Fourth T20: July 14, Daren Sammy Stadium, St Lucia, 7.30pm (July 15, 9.30am AEST)
Fifth T20: July 16, Daren Sammy Stadium, St Lucia, 7.30pm (July 17, 9.30am AEST)
First ODI: July 20, Kensington Oval, Barbados, 2.30pm D/N (July 21, 4.30am AEST)
Second ODI: July 22, Kensington Oval, Barbados, 2.30pm D/N (July 23, 4.30am AEST)
Third ODI: July 24, Kensington Oval, Barbados, 2.30pm D/N (July 25, 4.30am AEST)