Interim captain Matthew Wade is unsure whether he will be Australia’s first choice in the T20 World Cup

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Australia’s interim T20 captain Matthew Wade He says he is not striving for a leadership role on the India tour, but is keen to become a senior figure in the squad for next year’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States, although he is unsure whether Whether he will be first or not. -Choice wicketkeeper.

Wade’s announcement as captain of australia team Holding the five-match series against India so soon after the ODI World Cup came as a surprise to some in Australian cricket, but it had been in the works for a long time as the selectors managed the workload of their senior players.

Australia currently does not have a permanent T20I captain Michelle Marsh Played the role with great success in the recent South Africa series, which was Aaron Finch’s first series after his retirement. Marsh is being rested from the series against India to prepare for the domestic Test summer. ODI and test captain pat cummins Josh Hazlewood is also missing the tour along with Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green.

Wade was Finch’s long-time vice-captain, leading Australia in seven T20Is when Finch was injured, including the final of last year’s T20 World Cup against Afghanistan. But the selectors did not initially pick him for the South Africa series josh inglis A few chances with the gloves, with Wade aiming to return against India. Wade toured South Africa as an injury replacement for Glenn Maxwell, but did not play.

Speaking after helping Tasmania score 105 in what he described as their best-ever Sheffield Shield win against Queensland on the day Chasing 432 runs in the fourth inningsWade said that he did not expect to be made Australia’s captain again.

“I never really made that much of an effort for leadership,” he said. “I think you take care of your own backyard and these things take care of themselves.

“Given the relationship I have with (coach) Andrew McDonald and obviously (chief selector) George Bailey and all the coaching staff and selectors of the Australian team, I would have been going to India in any situation. In a senior role anyway. Were.

“So I believe after a long career it’s like a cherry on top, to get another chance to go and captain a country where it’s so much fun to play in, it’s going to be a hell of a time.”

However, he has maintained his form and more importantly, his hunger to keep playing at the highest level. He decided not to play Shield cricket for Tasmania after the BBL last summer and instead traveled to SA20 to play with the Joburg Super Kings. He moved to the PSL for Karachi Kings before moving back to Gujarat Titans in the IPL after winning the title with them in 2022. He was with the team for the entire 2023 IPL but did not play a single game. He then went and played in the Hundred with London Spirit.

Inglis has been overtaking Wade in Australia’s T20 team for a long time and has already usurped him. alex carey As the No. 1 ODI wicketkeeper-batsman. Both men have been named in the squad to face India but Wade will be the captain and first-choice wicketkeeper. Wade said, however, that he is unsure whether the same will happen for next year’s T20 World Cup.

“We have the T20 World Cup coming up, will I be the number one keeper there and play or not, will I go in as an extra batsman/keeper, I am not 100% sure. I don’t know if the selectors and coaches are 100% sure. % are confident.

“But I want to be there. I want to play. If it ends up with a No. 7 role as a wicketkeeper, I think I’ve probably earned that spot over the years for the Australian T20 team So, fingers crossed I get approved, but if I don’t I feel really comfortable playing the role.”

Wade said he was surprised the selectors named david warner And steven smith Despite resting several other senior three-format players in the squad ahead of the first Test of the summer against Pakistan in mid-December,

“This is a really exciting team,” Wade said. “I didn’t expect to see some of the old faces there. Honestly, those guys have been there for so long, and they’ll hang out there and play in those games.

“Matt Short, who has come on fast in recent times, will be there. I was in South Africa and saw these youngsters perform at the international level and I’m excited to go out and see them do it in India. “

Despite several key players being rested, Wade is hopeful that the series against India will be the start of Australia’s preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup. They have just 11 T20Is between now and the start of the tournament in June, five of which will be against India, three at home against the West Indies in February and three more in New Zealand at the end of the same month.

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