Andrew McDonald Advocates for Expanded Squads Ahead of 2027 ODI World Cup</TITLE]Andrew McDonald, coach of Australia’s 2023 World Cup winning side, has called for increased squad sizes for the 2027 ODI World Cup following the ICC’s announcement of an expanded tournament structure.Under the new format, the schedule will become significantly more demanding. While Australia played 11 matches during their successful 2023 campaign, the 2027 winner could potentially play up to 15 matches. The expanded structure includes group games, Super 7 matches, and semi-finals, all within a similar timeframe to previous editions.Australia has a history of advocating for larger rosters to manage player fatigue and injuries, a strategy that proved vital during the 2019 and 2023 World Cups, as well as recent T20 World Cup cycles.Speaking to Australia’s SEN radio on Wednesday, McDonald emphasized that the increased volume of matches necessitates more depth. He argued that teams should not be forced into an “attritional” tournament where players are sidelined by exhaustion or minor injuries.”If this is your pinnacle event, what do your squad sizes look like?” McDonald questioned. He noted that during the last World Cup, a 15-man roster left teams like Australia and New Zealand with very little depth if key players like Travis Head or Kane Williamson were injured. This limited their ability to select optimal lineups, especially when playing across diverse geographical conditions.The 2023 tournament provided a stark example of the risks involved. Due to strict ICC rules regarding injury replacements, Australia was forced to carry a 15-man squad that effectively became a 14-man squad for several matches after Travis Head suffered a broken finger. This forced a tactical gamble on specialist spin, which ultimately succeeded when Head returned to deliver match-winning performances in the semi-final and final.Concerns regarding player fitness are heightened by the heavy schedule leading up to 2027. Australia players, including Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Cameron Green, face a grueling stretch of Test cricket in India and England in the months preceding the tournament. McDonald suggested that the ICC should consider squads of 17, pointing to the FIFA World Cup’s use of 26-player rosters as a precedent for managing elite talent.”You want the best players to be available,” McDonald said. “We need larger squads to navigate the early stages of the tournament and ensure the pinnacle event features the highest quality of cricket, rather than seeing stars ruled out by the sheer intensity of the schedule.”While the ICC is expected to maintain 15-person squads while providing two-day breaks between matches, McDonald also expressed concern for Associate nations. He suggested the new 14-team structure might disadvantage developing nations by requiring them to compete in a ‘uper series’ for a single qualifying spot, potentially stifling the growth seen in the T20 format.>