Marcus Stoinis has been recalled to the Australian T20I squad for the New Zealand series, aiming to strengthen his bid for a World Cup spot.
Spencer Johnson, earmarked as a potential Starc replacement, is sidelined with a back injury until early next year.
Australia’s upcoming matches against New Zealand and India serve as crucial tests for players vying for the World Cup, with the BBL offering further opportunities.
Marcus Stoinis Returns To Boost Australia’s T20 World Cup Hopes As Spencer Johnson Faces Long Layoff
Marcus Stoinis has a chance to push his claims for a place in the T20 World Cup after earning a recall for the three-match series against New Zealand, while Spencer Johnson's prospects of emerging as a replacement for Mitchell Starc appear slim with the quick bowler unlikely to be fit until early next year. Check full squad here
Summary
Marcus Stoinis has been recalled to the Australian T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series in New Zealand, offering him a critical chance to strengthen his bid for a place in the 2026 T20 World Cup team. Stoinis had opted out of recent series against West Indies and South Africa to participate in the Hundred franchise league but remains very much in the selectors’ plans.
His return comes as Australia prepares for the series without some key players. Cameron Green, who is nursing injuries, will focus on the Sheffield Shield and is unlikely to bowl for some time. Nathan Ellis, an important part of the T20 pace attack, is also missing the New Zealand series as he awaits the birth of his first child.
Spencer Johnson Sidelined
Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, initially earmarked as a potential replacement for the retired Mitchell Starc, is expected to be sidelined until early next year due to a back injury sustained during the IPL. Johnson had played eight T20Is, taking 14 wickets, before being withdrawn from the West Indies series.
Selector chair George Bailey said, "The latest update for Spencer is that it'll be sometime in the new year that he'll start to come back online again. What that looks like and at what point, I don't think there's anything definitive on that, still hoping that he can have an impact both domestically and potentially internationally towards the back end of the season."
Finishers role for Stoinis
Stoinis, known for his hard-hitting batting, is likely to compete for a middle-order finisher’s role on the World Cup squad. His medium-pace bowling adds tactical flexibility, having been used with the new ball at times.
Matthew Short makes a return for the New Zealand tour after recovering from a side strain. This series will be an important opportunity for him to stake his claim ahead of a tough competition for spots in Australia’s deep batting lineup.
Australia's road to T20 World Cup 2026
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Australia’s three T20Is against New Zealand will be played across October 1, 3, and 4. The team will then host India for a five-match T20I series at home, which will be the last international assignment before the World Cup squad is finalized. The Big Bash League later provides another chance for fringe players to impress selectors.
Preparations for the tournament will continue with three warm-up matches in Pakistan scheduled for early February 2026.
Australia T20I Squad vs New Zealand:
Mitchell Marsh (captain), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
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