Steven Smith and Mitchell Starc will make their long-awaited returns to the Sheffield Shield this weekend as New South Wales takes on Victoria at the MCG. The match, starting Sunday, will serve as a crucial preparation for the upcoming international summer.
Smith, who has been sidelined with a concussion since the Ashes, will be eager to prove his fitness ahead of the Test series against India. The former Australian captain last played a Shield match in February 2021.
Starc, on the other hand, has not featured in the Shield since the 2020-21 final. The left-arm quick will be looking to regain his rhythm and build up his workload before the ODI series against Pakistan.
Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will not play in the Shield match but are expected to feature in the One-Day Cup fixture against Victoria on October 25. Cummins is unlikely to play any red-ball cricket before the Test series against India, while Hazlewood’s availability for the third round of Shield may be affected by the ODI series against Pakistan.
Sean Abbott will also return for NSW after missing the opening round due to a minor injury. Nathan Lyon, who took eight wickets against South Australia, will again be a key figure for the Blues.
Victoria is expected to include Scott Boland in their squad, setting up a fascinating contest with 19-year-old opener Sam Konstas. Konstas was called up to the Australia A squad earlier this week after scoring twin centuries against South Australia.
Matthew Gilkes, Ryan Hadley, and Liam Hatcher have been dropped from the NSW squad that drew with South Australia in the opening round.
