Aussies scrap rotation policy for NZ ODI visit; Lehmann to play Starc, Hazlewood

Melbourne [Australia], Nov. 28 : It seems that Australia have learnt from the humiliation dished out to them by playing the gamble of sending second string ODI attack against South Africa last month as they have decided to scrap its resting strategy for the upcoming one-day series against New Zealand.

Head coach Darren Lehmann has made it clear that Australia would be playing Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood when they would play against the Black Caps to regain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy.

Earlier this year, Australia lost the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy to the Black Caps and have, therefore, picked a full-strength squad in a bid to regain the trophy.

Before the Hobart Test in which the Aussies suffered a humiliating defeat, Australia's band of sports scientists feared Hazlewood and Starc were in the danger zone for breaking down.

However, the head coach feels that he "damned if he does, damned if he doesn't" when it comes to resting key bowlers in ODIs but has made the call that Starc and Hazlewood are fresh enough to power on.

"They'll play. We get in trouble if we don't play them. There's so much cricket all year around. Do you learn your lesson along the way? You do. But as long as they're fresh and going OK there's no problem playing them," Lehmann was quoted as saying by news.com.au.

"We gave them a break didn't we, so they should get through the summer - but we got in trouble for that as well, so you're damned if you do, damned if you don't," he added. "The three one-dayers should be fine and then it's the day-night Test match in Brisbane, so they should be right to get through the summer and it's a really important summer as we know. They've led our attack really well and they've stood up for us which is great."

The three ODIs will be played in Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne on December 4, 6 and 9.

Australia ODI squad: David Warner, Aaron Finch, Steven Smith (captain), George Bailey, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Hilton Cartwright, Matthew Wade (wk), James Faulkner, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Adam Zampa. (ANI)