SYDNEY - Tasmania's George Bailey will captain Australia's one-day international team after Australian selectors made the bold decision to dump retiring champion Mike Hussey, denying him a farewell tour around the country.
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Chairman of selectors John Inverarity yesterday announced the 13-man squad to face Sri Lanka in the summer's first two ODIs, starting in Melbourne on Friday, with Hussey among several major absentees.
The Test trio of skipper Michael Clarke, David Warner and Matthew Wade were all rested from the start of the ODI program to give them a chance to recover from the rigours of a six-Test summer, while injured pair James Pattinson (side strain) and Shane Watson (calf) were not considered.
But Inverarity said fellow Test star Hussey, who had planned to retire from international cricket at the end of the summer, was omitted for the whole series because the selectors were looking to build toward the 2015 World Cup.
It means Hussey has played his last day of international cricket as the third Test against Sri Lanka finished at the SCG yesterday.
"Michael has been a tremendous ODI player for Australia over a long period of time, a match-winner for his country and his presence in coloured clothing will be sorely missed," Inverarity said.
The squad has four potential debutants in batsmen Phil Hughes, Aaron Finch and Usman Khawaja and pace bowler Ben Cutting.
Australian squad: George Bailey (capt), Ben Cutting, Xavier Doherty, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Phil Hughes, David Hussey, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc.
