Pakistan vs Australia: Pat Cummins, David Warner among players left out of white-ball series

Three-match ODI series runs from March 29 to April 2 and a one-off Twenty20 international takes place on April 5, with the fixtures part of Australia's first tour to Pakistan since 1998

Image: David Warner will sit out of Australia's white-ball series in Pakistan

Australia Test captain Pat Cummins and opening batsman David Warner have been left out of the squad for a three-match ODI series and a Twenty20 clash against Pakistan next month.

Cummins and Warner, along with bowlers Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, have been included in the squad for Australia's three-Test tour of Pakistan, live on Sky Sports, but will not be involved following the conclusion of that series.

Fellow limited-overs specialist Glenn Maxwell will also skip the white ball series, with the veteran all-rounder taking time off for his wedding, while Aaron Finch will lead a 16-man limited-overs squad that includes Test players Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith.

"We have picked a talented and versatile squad with a number of challenges to juggle," national selector George Bailey said in a statement.

Monty Panesar believes that Justin Langer was 'treated harshly' by Cricket Australia after the coach quit his role with Australia.

"(That includes) the tour structure of predominantly 50 over games, management of several multi-format players in the medium to long term, and our need to build experience and depth in preparation for two short-form World Cups within the next 18 months.

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"We're confident the squad can both compete successfully on this tour and continue our progress towards those crucial tournaments."

Bailey was asked whether the omission of many of their regular players was to suit the start of the Indian Premier League season, which is scheduled to begin during Australia's Pakistan tour.

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While Cummins, Hazelwood and Warner can join their respective IPL teams, other regulars in the franchise competition like Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Marsh, and Sean Abbot will only be able to join after the one-off Twenty20 international takes place on April 5.

"I think it [the IPL] has really been an important tournament for the development and skill development of some of our players, so it's important not to underestimate that going forward as well," Bailey added.

Australia limited overs squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa.

When is Australia's tour to Pakistan?

Australia will be embarking on their first trip to Pakistan since 1998 and the opening Test starts on March 4 in Rawalpindi, which also hosts the entire white-ball leg of the series.

Monty Panesar believes that Justin Langer was 'treated harshly' by Cricket Australia after the coach quit his role with Australia.

Further Test matches take place in Karachi on March 12 and Lahore on March 21, with Rawalpindi then hosting ODI fixtures on March 29, March 31 and April 2. The teams then meet for a one-off Twenty20 clash at the same venue on April 5.

Will Australia split coaching role?

Cricket Australia chairman Lachie Henderson is open to splitting the head coach's role for its men's team following Justin Langer's exit, conceding it was taxing for one person to coach across formats.

Langer, who guided Australia to their maiden Twenty20 World Cup in November and a 4-0 Ashes triumph against England subsequently, rejected a short-term extension and resigned this month.

England's Ollie Pope admits that the Ashes series against Australia was brutal but hopes to treat it as a learning experience.

Andrew McDonald has been appointed on an interim basis ahead of the team's tour of Pakistan next month and is considered a front-runner for a permanent role.

"I think it is a very time-consuming role for one individual and maybe a more distributed method of coaching is the way of the future," Henderson told ABC radio when asked if CA would consider separate red and white ball coaches.

"We are going for a single head coach to be installed in the near future. How it plays out after that will depend a bit on that appointment, their availability and how that works across all forms of the game in what's going to be a really busy 12 to 18 months."

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