australia cricket

Chief Selector Gives Verdict On Steve Smith Inclusion Chances in Australia T20 World Cup 2026 Squad

Amogh Bodas

Last updated: January 19, 2026

3 min read

Just after Cricket Australia dropped their preliminary squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, Steve Smith donned the Sydney Sixers jersey in the Big Bash League (BBL) and went berserk. Chief selector George Bailey and the Australian management have a decision to make.

With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, the Australian side looks well settled with almost all players in tremendous form ahead of the big event. However, with Steve Smith upping the ante in the franchise league, George Bailey voiced his opinions on the possibility of Smith making it onto the flight to the subcontinent.

Steve Smith in the shortest format has not been received as that big a name, as it is in the longest format. However, it seems from his performances that the 36-year-old has taken offense for the same. In three matches for the Sixers till now, Smith has registered 173 runs with a century and a fifty to his name.

And the most promising part is that it has got nothing to do with the runs, but the rate at which he’s getting them. The Australian batter is striking at 176.53 in the competition so far. He also held a strike-rate of 182.10 in the previous season.

That being said, Bailey broke the silence on the possibility of Steve Smith making it to the Australia T20 World Cup 2026 Squad. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head are Australia’s designated openers in the format, and have both been in some good nick lately.

“If there were moving parts and something was required around there, no doubt his name would be in the mix. He’s playing incredibly well, but Mitch Marsh and Travis Head are also playing incredibly well, and they’ve done really well at the top for us in the T20 format,” said Bailey.

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The way he is playing in the BBL 2025-26, spectators would pay to have him in the scheme of things for the T20 World Cup commencing in February. However, as Bailey mentioned, the Aussie management have a good headache in front of them.

For the Australian squad which was announced a few days ago, Marsh and Head are the best bets to open the batting. The Perth Scorchers skipper has already notched up humongous runs in the ongoing season, and looks set for even more.

On the other hand, Travis Head has been a mass destructor in the shortest format, and his experience in the subcontinent while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) will come in handy for the Australians. In such a scenario, Smith will have to play the waiting game.

Another player to look at would be Cooper Connolly. He has not been reaping huge rewards with the bat in the ongoing premier tournament, but he is a handy customer with the ball in hand. Hence, persisting with him would be a wise option for Australia. The best position to bat for Steve Smith could not be anywhere after three in T20s, and that’s the reason he won’t be on the flight to the subcontinent.

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