Matthew Wade might feature in Australia's jersey (Source: @ICC/x.com)
Despite being one of the greatest sides in the cricket world, the Australian side made a brave decision before stepping into the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. They named Josh Inglis as their sole wicketkeeper, leaving the squad with no backup behind the stumps.
The brave call turned heads, but that can be a recreation of Aussie legend Shane Warne’s role during the IPL 2008. With former wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade now retired and serving as coach, he could step into a similar dual role for Australia.
Australian management turns heads with solo wicketkeeper choice
Over the years, the Australian side has been one of the biggest giants of the game and showcased their domination on the big stages. As the T20 World Cup 2026 is commencing on February 7, teams have almost finalized their squad, and Australia has followed the same route, but along with a massive twist.
Australia unveiled a power-packed, well-balanced squad, but one glaring decision stole the spotlight. George Bailey and Co. have named Josh Inglis as the lone wicketkeeper batter with no backup. That bold move sparked concerns.
The move has sparked major buzz, with fans warning that any injury to the sole wicketkeeper could leave Australia in serious trouble. As Glenn Maxwell is already in the squad, there was a possibility that he could take the gloves in need, but now things are set to take a different turn.
Matthew Wade could play a 'Warne-Inspired' role in the T20 World Cup 2026
In the first edition of the IPL in 2008, the world saw a surprising move in cricket where Shane Warne played a dual role. After his international retirement, he took the head coach’s role in the Rajasthan Royals and also captained the side in that season.
As the Australian side always set example of something new, they are set to follow the same path. Former wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade, set to join the side as assistant coach, is tipped to follow Shane Warne’s iconic dual-role path.
As Australian team management has suggested, if Inglis faces any injuries during the tournament, Matthew Wade could reverse his retirement and take the responsibilities behind the stumps. That out-of-the-box decision stunned the cricket world once again.
Injury concerns loom large over Australia
Before stepping into the marquee event, when the other teams are looking at their final preparations, Australia is dealing with their consecutive injury blows. Ace pacer Pat Cummins’ long-standing injury has taken a worrying turn, raising fresh concerns. Adding to the drama, Cummins is set to miss Australia’s three-match T20I series against Pakistan.
Making the matter worse, he will miss out on Australia’s first two matches of the T20 World Cup 2026. The setbacks don’t end here, as Josh Hazlewood is still recovering from an Achilles injury. Adding this, Australia’s ace all-rounder Tim Davis is also yet to recover from the shoulder injury.
As the tournament is raising curtains on February 7, Australia will play their first match on February 11 against Ireland. Before that, they need to get rid of all the concerns for a successful outing.
