Inglis to debut, McDermott returns for opening T20 vs Sri Lanka

Perth Scorchers star Josh Inglis will bat at No.3 in the opening T20 against Sri Lanka with Ben McDermott to open for Australia's first game since winning T20 World Cup.

Western Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will make his international debut as Australia made two changes for the start of the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka.

Western Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis will make his international debut as Australia made two changes for the start of the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka, captain Aaron Finch said on Thursday.

Inglis will bat at No. 3 but will not keep wicket, with Matthew Wade continuing behind the stumps, Finch added on the eve of the first match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Opening batter Ben McDermott joins Inglis as additions to the lineup from November's victorious Twenty20 World Cup final team. David Warner and Mitch Marsh are being rested.

In this brand new series where we revisit some of India's most cherished cricketing victories, we start at the country's first win in Test cricket history. Coimbatorao Doraikannu Gopinath is the only surviving member of that Indian side and sat down for a freewheeling chat with Ayan Acharya.

English-born Inglis, who moved to Australia at 14, was not prolific in the domestic Big Bash League (BBL) season that just ended but is rated highly in the Australia camp.

"He hasn't got the runs he would have liked throughout the Big Bash as he has done in the past ... so it's a great opportunity for him," Finch said of the 26-year-old Inglis.

As for McDermott, the leading BBL run-scorer, Finch said he had been "in unbelievable nick, so to get him at the top of the order was really crucial for us."

Australia and Sri Lanka will play a five-match series between Friday and Feb. 20 -- two games in Sydney, one in Canberra and two in Melbourne.

Sri Lanka will initially be without Kusal Mendis, who tested positive for COVID-19 and has been in isolation since Monday.