Ben McDermott opens up on his omission from Australia's T20I setup

Australia's wicketkeeper-batter Ben McDermott is eager for a good stint in the T20 Blast following an omission from Australia's national cricket team. The T20 World Cup winners are touring Sri Lanka for a three-match T20I series followed by five ODI and two Test matches. 

McDermott struggles to find a place in the squad despite a stellar performance in Australia's last T20I series against Pakistan. Playing against Pakistan, he emerged as the top run-scorer for the visitor, scoring 195 runs at an average of 65.00. The batter also slammed his maiden international hundred during the tour.

The 27-year-old was presented a chance to play at number three due to the absence of many senior players, including David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, and Steve Smith. However, he has been squeezed out of the team as all the senior players are available for selection. 

"Guys like Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, and David Warner are all back in the mix which pushed me out. You get a go through injuries, stuff like that: Mitch Marsh got injured in Pakistan, and Maxwell and Warner weren't there. So you're aware that when those guys come back, they have first preference," McDermott told ESPNcricinfo.

The road to the National cricket team won't be easy for McDermott as Australia has plenty of wicketkeeper-batter options.

The 27-year-old understands the competition and is realistic regarding his chances of making it to the playing XI, however, he is hoping for some good opportunities to come shortly. 

"It would be really nice to be in that squad and experience what those guys did in Dubai - it looked spectacular - and if I do well here, it's not going to do my case any harm.

"But it's going to be tough to crack into. I've had 25 [23] international T20s now and haven't really taken those opportunities. I've had a good crack at a lot of different batting positions as well, so hopefully, I can really nail down a gameplan at the top of the order and keep being consistent with it," the right-hander added. 

In the absence of national opportunities, McDermott will be spending his summer in England playing in the T20 Blast.