Australia's white-ball squad sees changes ahead of Champions Trophy in Pakistan

Perth Scorchers and Western Australia allrounder Cooper Connolly has received his first international call-up for Australia's T20I squad. He will face Scotland and England, while Jake Fraser-McGurk has been included in both the T20I and ODI squads as selectors look towards the future.

Australia will play three T20Is against Scotland and England starting in early September. The squad marks the beginning of a transition from the team that exited the recent T20 World Cup in the Super Eights. The ODI squad remains more stable, with a focus on next year's Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Connolly has only played 15 domestic T20 matches but was a key player in securing the Perth Scorchers' title in the 2022-23 final. He has a strike rate of 145.80 and offers a valuable left-arm spin option. He also made 90 on his Sheffield Shield debut in the final earlier this year.

Mitchell Marsh will continue as captain and will also lead the ODI team in Pat Cummins' absence. Cummins is resting ahead of the home summer. Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell will miss the T20Is but will join for the ODIs. Allrounder Matthew Short, who was a traveling reserve at the T20 World Cup, will stay home for the birth of his first child and join the team for the five ODIs against England. Cummins is currently playing in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States.

Ashton Agar and Matthew Wade have been dropped from the T20I squad, while David Warner has retired but mentioned he is open to playing in the Champions Trophy. Fraser-McGurk's inclusion was expected, giving him a chance to establish himself as Warner's successor at the top of the order in both limited-overs formats. He has not yet made his T20I debut but played two ODIs against West Indies last season.

The T20 squad will include Xavier Bartlett, Spencer Johnson, and Nathan Ellis as part of the pace attack alongside the experienced Josh Hazlewood. Allrounders Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie are included in both formats, with Green likely to see more opportunities. Josh Inglis will replace Wade as the wicketkeeper in T20Is.

National selector George Bailey said, "This tour gives us a great opportunity to bring in some new players in the absence of David Warner and Matthew Wade, as well as giving some senior players time to prepare for the home summer and a busy first half of next year."

Bailey added, "We are particularly pleased to offer Cooper his first opportunity in the T20 squad having introduced the likes of Jake, Spencer, Xavier and Aaron in the past 12 months. They are exciting prospects to join the likes of Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis and Josh Inglis in the white-ball set up."

"With the Champions Trophy on our doorstep early next year, the white-ball series against Pakistan leading into the summer and a huge home Test series against India, there has been a lot of planning invested into these next six months. That has included gradual integration of new players into our white-ball squads who have earned international opportunities via excellent form in Big Bash or state cricket," he concluded.

Alex Carey returns to the ODI squad as Inglis' understudy after losing his place during last year's World Cup.

The T20Is against Scotland, replacing the canceled tour of Ireland due to financial reasons, will be held on September 4, 6, and 7. Three T20Is against England will follow on September 11, 13, and 15, followed by five ODIs.