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Brad Haddin: Packed international summer schedule could help Australia in T20Is

Australia will play Twenty20 International (T20I) series against Sri Lanka ahead of India Test series in February.

Brad Haddin emphasised that Australia have not played great T20 cricket this year © Getty Images
Brad Haddin emphasised that Australia have not played great T20 cricket this year © Getty Images

As per Australia’s former wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, packed international summer schedule could help the national side find success in Twenty20 International (T20I) format. The fact that Australia will play T20 match in February could be a blessing as per Haddin. The packed schedule for Australia came into spotlight when India confirmed the dates for their Test series against the national side from February 23. Prior to the Test series, Australia will be playing 3-T20I series against Sri Lanka at their home ground. Within 24 hours they will have to fly to Pune for their first Test against India. But Haddin feels scheduling could help Australia reverse their poor record in T20 cricket. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: Australia vs South Africa, 1st Test at Perth 

Speaking to Skysports Radio, Haddin said, “I’m actually looking forward to that T20I side. Traditionally, we haven’t played great T20 cricket in tournaments for Australia. That means (selectors) will have to pick the best Twenty20 players who perform well in the Big Bash, without the Test players there. So I’m actually looking forward to how that side goes. Because if you give a couple of those guys an opportunity who perform well in the Big Bash to play on the international stage, that might be something Australia can look at going forward.” ALSO READ: AUS might struggle if Starc, Hazlewood are hit by injury, says McDermott

In contrast, Cricket Australia’s (CA) Executive General Manager of High Performance Pat Howard cited another potential upside adding that determining some parts of the international calendar are out of their control as well. Speaking to SEN Breakfast, Howard said, “To a certain extent I want to embrace it. We’ve done better and performed better when players have really lavished the opportunity, versus it being tacked on at the end of a long season. So there is a way to have a think about this differently to give us a better chance of winning. The calendar is complex. There’s been continuous cricket since August 2014 through to June 2017. There are limitations to what we can and can’t do.”

This year, Australia have not won major T20 series and also failed move to the quarter-final stage in ICC T20 World Cup 2016. This will serve them the right purpose before heading to India.

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