David Warner and Mitchell Marsh have been rested, while head coach Justin Langer will take time off
McDermott, who made 577 runs for Hobart Hurricanes in the BBL, and Sydney Sixers captain Henriques, were part of the squad that toured the West Indies and Bangladesh last year before missing selection for the World Cup.
Head, who was Player of the Series in the Ashes, is in line for his first T20I appearance since 2018, having previously played 16 times in the format where he made his international debut in 2016.
Richardson is included in a T20I squad for the first time since the tour of New Zealand last February. He featured in one Ashes Test, taking a five-wicket haul in Adelaide, before picking up a lower leg injury.
The remainder of the bowling attack is made up of first-choice names, with Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc, the latter has opted out of the IPL auction, both included alongside white-ball specialists Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa.
“This squad will begin preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup defence at home later this year and includes several players who have an early chance to impress in these five matches against a quality opposition,” national selector George Bailey said.
Legspinner Mitchell Swepson is the only other member of the 15-player T20 World Cup squad not included for this series. Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis and Daniel Sams were travelling reserves for the tournament. Ellis has missed the second half of the BBL through injury.
Squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Moises Henriques, Josh Inglis, Ben McDermott, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo