Cricket

Australia's head coach, Andrew McDonald, has secured a contract extension until the end of 2027. This extension will see him lead the team through the defense of their ODI World Cup title in 2027 and the next cycle of the World Test Championship.McDonald's initial appointment in 2022 was for a four-year term, which would have taken him to early 2026. The extension adds two more years to his tenure, ensuring his guidance through a crucial period for Australian cricket.During his tenure, McDonald has overseen significant success for the men's team, including the 2023 ODI World Cup and World Test Championship titles. The extension provides him with the opportunity to achieve further milestones, such as Test series victories in India and England, which have proven elusive in recent years.McDonald's leadership has been instrumental in fostering a positive and inclusive culture within the team. He has praised the professionalism and commitment of his fellow coaches and staff, crediting them for creating a successful and unified environment."I am very fortunate to have an exceptional group of leaders, players, coaches, and staff who are fully invested in the ongoing well-being, success, and development of this group," McDonald said.Australia is currently vying for a spot in next year's WTC final at Lord's. The upcoming India series will be pivotal in their qualification prospects. Test and ODI captain Pat Cummins has expressed his willingness to extend his tenure, potentially allowing him to continue working alongside McDonald until 2027.Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley lauded McDonald's contributions, stating, "Andrew has proven to be an outstanding men's head coach who as well as delivering exceptional results has built a strong coaching team, methodology, and an excellent environment for the team to perform at its best."

Andrew McDonald, Australia's head coach, has hinted that 19-year-old Sam Konstas could make his Test debut against India despite his limited first-class experience. Konstas, who will play for Australia A against India A in Mackay from Thursday, has impressed with his performances in the Sheffield Shield, including back-to-back centuries in the first game of the season.McDonald emphasized that the selectors will prioritize selecting the best team for the present, regardless of age or experience. He believes that Konstas has shown enough potential to be considered for the vacant opening role alongside Usman Khawaja. The coach also dismissed concerns about protecting young players from strong opponents, stating that if Konstas is ready, he should be given the opportunity.Konstas' mentor, Shane Watson, has described the current selection debate as a "perfect storm" for the young opener. McDonald echoed this sentiment, stating that the selectors will not hold back players based on the opposition. He also highlighted the advantage of playing in familiar conditions for a player's first Test summer.Despite the decision to move Steven Smith back to No. 4, McDonald remains open to converting a middle-order batter into an opener if it is deemed the best solution. He cited examples of successful transitions by players like Shane Watson and Simon Katich. Nathan McSweeney, the South Australia captain, has also put his name in the frame for a call-up with his impressive start to the season.McDonald acknowledged the significance of Mohammed Shami's absence from the India squad but cautioned against underestimating the visitors. He pointed to India's previous tour of Australia, where an injury-depleted side famously won at the Gabba to take the series.

Australia's head coach Andrew McDonald has revealed the strategic decision to move Steve Smith back to his familiar batting position at number four in Tests. This shift comes after a brief experiment with Smith opening the batting, which yielded limited success.McDonald explained that the decision was made collectively by the leadership group, including captain Pat Cummins. They believed that Smith's return to number four would benefit the team's overall balance and performance."We felt it was best for the team for him to make that shift away from opening," McDonald said. "We've got different challenges this summer, and that was a collective decision."With Usman Khawaja set to open in Tests, the race for his opening partner is heating up. Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft, Matthew Renshaw, and Sam Konstas will all be vying for the spot in the upcoming round of Sheffield Shield matches.McDonald emphasized that all four players are in contention for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India, which begins on November 22. He noted that Konstas' impressive performance in the first Shield game has earned him a place in the Australia A squad."We've got a bit of an eye to the future in some of the (Australia A) selections, and a bit of an eye to here and now," McDonald said. "We've got some left-handed options, some right-handed options, and some guys that have piled on runs over a period of time."McDonald stressed that the decision will not be based solely on batting performance but will also consider other factors. "It's not a bat-off," he said. "We've got to reward what we see at that point in time."

Alex Carey's impressive return to Australia's ODI side has sparked a selection headache for the team ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. With incumbent wicketkeeper Josh Inglis still sidelined by a quad injury, Carey has seized his opportunity with two consecutive half-centuries.Coach and selector Andrew McDonald acknowledged the dilemma, stating that it's a "good problem to have" when players are competing for spots. He hinted at the possibility of both Carey and Inglis playing in the same team, as they have done in the past.However, McDonald also suggested that Australia could opt for an extra allrounder to bolster their batting depth. Aaron Hardie has impressed with his recent performances, including a crucial 44 off 26 balls in the third ODI.Hardie's versatility as a bowler and hitter adds to Australia's options. He can provide support with the new ball and has showcased his death-hitting prowess. McDonald confirmed that the team has been considering playing an allrounder at No. 8, a strategy they experimented with before the last World Cup.Despite the allrounder options, McDonald emphasized that Australia's attack can lack potency without Adam Zampa. The leg-spinner's absence in the third ODI was evident as England's batters took advantage. McDonald expressed hope that both Zampa and Travis Head will be available for the remaining two ODIs.In summary, Alex Carey's resurgence has created a selection conundrum for Australia. The team must decide whether to prioritize a specialist wicketkeeper or an extra allrounder. The availability of key players like Josh Inglis, Adam Zampa, and Aaron Hardie will influence the final decision.

Australia's T20 World Cup campaign will begin without the bowling services of skipper Mitchell Marsh, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury. Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed that Marsh will play solely as a batter in their opening match against Oman on June 6.Marsh has participated in Australia's two warm-up games against Namibia and the West Indies, but he has not bowled in either match. Matthew Wade has taken over captaincy duties in Marsh's absence."For Mitch, (the warm-up games) was about ticking off where his body was at," McDonald said. "He fielded more overs tonight (in the warm-up against West Indies), he was able to move more freely, so he's building a little bit of confidence there. It looks as though he's all set for the first game."Marsh played only four matches for Delhi Capitals in the IPL due to a hamstring niggle. He returned to Australia in late April to continue his rehabilitation."The second part is just when the bowling comes back online... it won't be the first game," McDonald said.Australia's warm-up match against the West Indies exposed the absence of several key players, including Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, and Travis Head."It was by design, in terms of when we were getting people back after the IPL; we were well aware we weren't going to get the squad together until the first of next month," McDonald said."We've got some things in place where we'll bring the group together, we'll work through our plans leading into Oman and there's a bit of space between that game and (playing) England."Australia will face defending champions England in Barbados on June 9."We feel as though we have plenty of time to bring that group together. It's a familiar group, they've played a lot together. If they hadn't played a lot together then the prep might have looked different," McDonald added."We feel comfortable though as they know how to play with each other. It will just be finalising the XIs for the games, and the balances that we want. We've got plenty of options."