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Star batter Marnus Labuschagne will lead Australia A squad for the three-match one-day series against New Zealand A following the ODI World Cup snub.

On Monday, Labuschagne was left off of Australia's provisional 18-man ODI World Cup squad. He will play for Australia A among other unrecognised white-ball talents like Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, and Ashton Turner.

Labuschange, though he remains in good touch as a Test batter, has been battling a lean patch in the ODI format since 2022. Last year in 14 innings, he scored 331 runs at an average of 25.46, with three fifties in 14 innings. This year, he has just managed 43 runs in two innings.

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The squad also features Matthew Short, the reigning Big Bash League Player of the Tournament, who is in line for T20I debut on tour against South Africa starting later this month.

Test off-spinner Todd Murphy is also included in the white-ball squad with Victoria allrounder Will Sutherland and rising NSW talent Ollie Davies. The trio managed to impress national selector George Bailey while playing for their states in white-ball cricket.

Australia A series, which will have matches in Brisbane and Mackay, also features two four-day contests against NZ A, with top-order Cameron Bancroft being given a chance to make an impact and present himself as David Warner's long-term replacement at the top, who has flagged that he will retire after the Sydney Test against Pakistan early next year.

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Matthew Renshaw is another opening candidate endorsed by veteran Warner himself. But he will miss out on first-class cricket matches and will play ODI games. Renshaw had smashed back-to-back tons against NZ A in April across Tasman that was played with Dukes ball as a pre-Ashes preparation.

Bancroft will be playing as an opener alongside rising Tasmania opener Tim Ward, another batter who has dominated across the Tasman this year with scores of 63, 75 and 67.

The 25-year-old Ward is in Chennai getting a taste of cricket in India as a part of a group that will be training and playing at MRF Academy over the next fortnight.

Ward is a part of nine players that featured in A series across Tasman in April, which also includes Wes Agar, Jordan Buckingham, Caleb Jewell, Campbell Kellaway Nathan McSweeney, Mitch Perry and Queensland's veteran wicketkeeper Jimmy Peirson.

Leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson and Matthew Kuhnemann have been included in the A squad as well and will make first-class appearances.

The four-day squad has new faces like Josh Phillipe, South Australia allrounder Nathan McAndrew, WA's Matthew Kelly and fast bowling pair Mark Steketee and Ben Dwarshuis.

Australia A v New Zealand A series

First four-day match: August 28-31, Allan Border Field

Second four-day match: September 4-7, Great Barrier Reef Arena (D/N)

First one-dayer: September 10, Great Barrier Reef Arena

Second one-dayer: September 13, Allan Border Field (D/N)

Third one-dayer: September 15, Allan Border Field

Australia A four-day squad: Wes Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Jordan Buckingham, Ben Dwarshuis, Caleb Jewell, Campbell Kellaway, Matthew Kelly, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney, Joel Paris, Jimmy Peirson, Mitch Perry, Josh Philippe, Mark Steketee, Mitchell Swepson, Tim Ward

Australia A one-day squad: Wes Agar, Ollie Davies, Ben Dwarshuis, Liam Hatcher, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Ben McDermott, Todd Murphy, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Gurinder Sandhu, Matt Short, Mark Steketee, Will Sutherland, Ashton Turner.

(With ANI inputs)