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Andre-Borovec. (Photo Source: Twitter)

Australia are going to stay back in India after the completion of the ODI World Cup 2023 to play a five-match T20I series against the Men in Blue.

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald will not stay with the team during the T20I series against India as he has been rested. In his absence, assistant coach Andre Borovec will be in charge of the side. This will be the first time Borovec will charge of the senior team. Five players, who are part of Australia’s ODI World Cup 2023 squad – Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, and Cameron Green have also been rested for the T20Is and the team will be led by experienced wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade.

McDonald is also taking a break ahead of the Test summer starting against Pakistan in Perth on December 14. He was also rested from the T20I series against South Africa prior to the World Cup. Batting coach Michael Di Venuto was in charge of the team back then. However, the 49-year-old has also been rested from the T20Is against India, and that has given Borovec a chance to coach the senior team.

It is interesting to note that the 45-year-old Borovec coached McDonald at a club called Geelong in Victorian grade cricket. The former joined the Australia coaching setup for the first time back in 2021 for the white-ball tours to the Caribbean and Bangladesh. He also toured with Australia on the 2022 tour of Pakistan. However, he was added as a full-time assistant coach when McDonald took the head coaching role in May 2022.

Former Western Australia and Victoria coach and current Cricket Australia head of development Lachlan Stevens will make the trip to India to help Borovec.

Australia look to win record-extending sixth World Cup title

The Australian coaching setup will not be thinking about the India series at the moment. They are in the semi-finals for the ninth time and are set to face South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Thursday, November 16.

The Men in Yellow have won five ODI World Cups so far, whereas no other team has won more than two titles. The Pat Cummins-led side are on a seven-match winning streak and they have all the ingredients to go the distance.

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