Several Australian Cricketers Withdraw from India T20 Series to Prepare for Ashes

Australia: In preparation for the upcoming **Ashes series**, several Australian cricketers have opted to withdraw from the ongoing **T20 series against India** to focus on red-ball cricket.

According to **Cricket Australia**, players likely to feature in the first Ashes Test will instead participate in the next round of the **Sheffield Shield**. As part of this plan, **Travis Head** has been released from the T20 squad and will miss the final two matches against India.

Sources confirmed that senior players **Steve Smith**, **Mitchell Starc**, **Josh Hazlewood**, and **Travis Head** will all feature in the **fourth round of the Sheffield Shield** as part of their Ashes preparations.

Many Australian players have chosen to prioritize **red-ball cricket over white-ball cricket** ahead of the high-profile Test series. **Josh Hazlewood** and **Sean Abbott** have also left the T20 squad to play domestic cricket.

Additionally, **Tanveer Sangha** has been released from the T20 squad to join his team for the **One-Day Cup**, while **Ben Dwarshuis** has been added to Australia’s squad for the remaining matches against India.

The **five-match T20 series** between Australia and India is currently **level at 2-2**, with the **fourth and fifth matches scheduled for November 6 and 8**, respectively.