Smith, Labuschagne, Khawaja on BBL restrictions | Bowlers and Head ruled out
Smith, Labuschagne, and Khawaja are on BBL restrictions; Bowlers and Head ruled out. Head and Bowlers Will Skip BBL Games, but Carey, Konstas, Webster, and Marsh Are Ready to Play Before the Sri Lanka Tour.
Steven Smith will play three Big Bash League (BBL) matches before heading to Sri Lanka, but Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja will only play one game each. This decision comes from plans made by Cricket Australia’s high-performance team. Meanwhile, Travis Head and Australia’s main bowlers will rest before traveling overseas.
Alex Carey, Sam Konstas, Beau Webster, Mitchell Marsh, and Jhye Richardson have been cleared to participate in the rest of the BBL season. However, Head and key bowlers like Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, and Mitchell Starc will not feature in any matches.
Australia is expected to announce a 16-player squad for two Tests in Sri Lanka soon. The team will leave for a training camp in the UAE around January 19-20, which means none of the squad members will be available for the BBL finals from January 21-27. It’s unclear if all the players from the recent Sydney Test will go to Sri Lanka, as names like Josh Inglis, Peter Handscomb, Todd Murphy, and Matthew Kuhnemann are also being considered. Glenn Maxwell might also join the squad, though his inclusion is uncertain since Australia has already qualified for the World Test Championship final.
Smith’s Schedule and Other Players’ Appearances
Steven Smith will miss the Sydney Sixers’ match against the Melbourne Stars at the MCG on Thursday. However, he will play against the Perth Scorchers on Saturday at the SCG. He’ll also feature in matches against the Adelaide Strikers on January 15 and the Sydney Thunder on January 17. Sam Konstas will join Smith in the Thunder’s game, while he also plays against the Hobart Hurricanes tomorrow and in their remaining four matches.
Khawaja and Labuschagne will play for Brisbane Heat in their home game against the Hurricanes on January 16. They won’t be available for Heat’s last match on January 18 since they’ll likely depart for Sri Lanka the next day.
Alex Carey is set to play in Adelaide Strikers’ last three matches, including one in Perth on January 18. Beau Webster is also expected to play for the Stars on January 19. Some players might leave for the UAE after completing these games if needed.
Australia’s Busy Schedule
Travis Head, who is contracted to the Strikers, has chosen to rest after the Sydney Test and won’t play in the BBL. He has a packed schedule ahead, including the IPL, Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and tours to England, the Caribbean, and Sri Lanka.
Australia’s main bowlers—Cummins, Hazlewood, and Starc—face a similar busy period. Cummins may miss the Sri Lanka Tests due to the birth of his second child, while Hazlewood might skip them due to injury. Nathan Lyon, despite limited action in the recent series, will also sit out the BBL to prepare for the Tests in Sri Lanka.
Balancing BBL and Rest
Cricket Australia (CA) and the BBL have worked together to decide which players can participate during this short gap between the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and the Sri Lanka tour. CA’s head of National Teams, Ben Oliver, said each player’s availability was decided based on their recovery and upcoming commitments.
“A five-Test series is tough, and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy added to that challenge,” Oliver said. “We’ve planned for each player to recover and prepare for international games while allowing them to play in the BBL wherever possible.”
BBL general manager Alistair Dobson appreciated having Test players join the league. “We’re thrilled to have Australian Test stars playing in the BBL after their historic Border-Gavaskar Trophy win,” Dobson said.
This plan ensures players rest when needed while keeping the BBL exciting for fans.
