Marnus Labuschagne left out of Australia’s 17-player ODI squad for Zimbabwe and South Africa tour
Marnus Labuschagne was omitted from Australia’s 17-player ODI squad for the white-ball tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa, selectors announced on Tuesday, 1 September 2026. Chair of selectors George Bailey said Labuschagne remains in contention for Test selection despite being dropped from the one-day side.
The squad was named with next year’s ODI World Cup in mind and Australia are scheduled to play six ODIs in Zimbabwe and South Africa later this month before a three-Test series against South Africa in October. Labuschagne was one of five players omitted who featured in Australia’s most recent ODI against Bangladesh in June. The 32-year-old, who was ranked by the ICC as the world’s best Test batter in 2023, has averaged under 30 in Tests since then and is listed equal 38th in the latest rankings.
Bailey described the decision as focused on the one-day programme rather than a comment on red-ball selection, saying: "It was a one-day cricket conversation, this is a pretty important tool for us. It’s hard to get the link, but Zimbabwe and South Africa, that’s where the World Cup will be played late next year."
Labuschagne’s recent Test form was set out in selection discussions: he averaged 25 in last summer’s Ashes and scored 1, 31 and 4 in the Tests against Bangladesh. He had been on the periphery of the Test side ahead of last summer’s Ashes but a strong start to the Sheffield Shield season secured his place in that series.
The selectors will finalise Test considerations without relying on an extra Queensland match for Labuschagne, with Bailey saying they were still deliberating and balancing information about pitches and fitness. "It’s just about not having to make a decision until you need to make a decision," he said. "[We are] still working closely just around as much information as we can around what potentially the wickets we might expect to get in South Africa and what those conditions might look like, some final pieces of the puzzle in terms of some of the some of the fitness around some guys and just what they’re working through, some individuals in that basket, and then probably just landing on the number of players and roles."
Selectors on Tuesday named a group of 17 for the ODI series: Mitch Marsh, Pat Cummins (capt, SA only), Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc (SA only), and Adam Zampa. Bailey singled out the younger inclusions, praising Oliver Peake and Joel Davies: "For Ollie [Peake] and Joel [Davies], who we rate very highly, it’s another fantastic opportunity and a further chance for them to continue their exposure and growth in the Australian team." Peake was described as a 19-year-old Victorian left-hander who became the youngest specialist batter to debut for Australia’s ODI team earlier this year; Davies is a 22-year-old allrounder from NSW who debuted for Australia in the T20s against Bangladesh in June.
The Test squad for the South Africa series will be announced later this month ahead of the first Test on 9 October, a selection Bailey said the panel was still working through as they assessed conditions, fitness and squad roles.
