Steve Smith and Travis Head will fight it out for the right to partner David Warner in Australia’s Twenty20 team in New Zealand later this month.
Both Smith and Head have been named in a 15-player squad for the three-match series across the ditch, which starts on February 21 in Wellington.
Those two, along with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, will be recalled to the T20 set-up after being rested for the three-match T20 series against the West Indies, which starts Friday in Tasmania.
Warner, while retired from Tests and ODIs, is available to continue in his role as Australia’s T20 opening batter. Smith or Head are expected to open with him.
The three matches against New Zealand will give selectors the chance to look ahead to the Twenty20 World Cup in June.
“The next six games will provide us the opportunity to start shaping what we think our World Cup squad will look like and potential roles within that,” chief selector George Bailey said.
Australia T20 squad vs New Zealand: Mitchell Marsh (c), Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
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