Australia lost the recently concluded ODI series to Pakistan at home for the first time since 2002. The visitors’ four-pronged pace attack of Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Hasnain ran past the Australian squad not once but twice. seal the series. Australia fell behind by just 140 runs in the third round and settled for the ODI with Pakistan trailing with eight wickets in hand.

But it was a weakened Australian team like Marnus Labuschagne. Steve Smith, Pat CumminsMitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are rested. This was the selectors’ decision to keep them fresh for the five-match Test series against India at home.

However, there was a gap of 11 days between the third ODI and the start of the first Test in Perth. However, it appears that the rest of the Test-bound players had been planned for a long time when the schedule was announced almost a year ago. Australia are scheduled to play seven Test matches followed by the Champions Trophy by March 2025 and hence five players have been rested keeping the workload in mind.

Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley has now reacted to criticism defending the selectors for their decision to rest players. He noted the upcoming schedule for Australia and added that skipping the third ODI against Pakistan would be in the best interest of the players.

“The amount of planning and work that has gone into squad selection and preparation across the three formats is incredible in terms of detail. In terms of Test players, we effectively want to get them through seven Test matches. Hockley said: “On this occasion, having all the back-to-back format players qualifying for the Champions Trophy is in line for the summer. “It was thought to be in the interest of general priorities,” he said.