Australia stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh has confirmed the team's preferred top six for next year's ODI World Cup, revealing that the batting combination expected to feature in the upcoming series against England is likely to remain in place for the global tournament, according to Cricinfo.

Australia stand-in captain Mitchell Marsh has confirmed the team's preferred top six for next year's ODI World Cup, revealing that the batting combination expected to feature in the upcoming series against England is likely to remain in place for the global tournament, according to Cricinfo. With Australia not scheduled to play another ODI series until mid-2027, Marsh said the current batting line-up was expected to form the core of the team's World Cup plans.

The preferred top six comprises Marsh, Travis Head, Cooper Connolly, Matt Renshaw, Josh Inglis and Cameron Green. The same combination is expected to feature in Australia's opening ODI against England at Optus Stadium on Friday. "We've got a batting line-up that I see being at that World Cup, and it's sort of where we end up," Marsh said ahead of the ODI series, as quoted by Cricinfo.

Australia will, however, be without key members of their bowling attack, with Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc resting during this period as they prepare for the Test schedule. The absence of Steven Smith, who no longer plays ODI cricket, and Marnus Labuschagne, who has been out of the format since July, also leaves the current batting group firmly in focus ahead of the World Cup.

Labuschagne was part of Australia's 2023 World Cup-winning squad but has been going through a difficult run of form, which has also seen him dropped from the Test side. Marsh also confirmed that young Western Australian fast bowler Mahli Beardman would make his debut in international cricket in the opening ODI. Beardman has previously featured in one T20I in Pakistan earlier this year.

"Easy one for me being West Australian. He [Beardman] is straight in. He's an amazing talent. He's a ripping young kid. For a young kid, he really understands his game early on. He loves to bowl fast. He's always on record saying that all he wants to do is bowl fast, and that's an attitude that you can't always teach. The times that I have played with him in big moments, he's always got a smile on his face, and I'm looking forward to seeing him out there tomorrow," Marsh said. The first Australia vs England ODI will take place in Perth on Friday, followed by the second match in Adelaide, and the third at Hobart. (ANI)

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