Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith will not be going to South Africa with the Australian team for a white-ball tour after being ruled out due to their respective injuries. Australia is traveling to the rainbow nation for 3 T20Is and 5 ODI matches starting on August 30.
Steve Smith has been ruled out of Australia’s entire limited-overs tour of South Africa due to a wrist injury he sustained in the Ashes, but he is set to be available for the ODIs in India and the World Cup.
It is understood Smith battled a left wrist issue, caused by a tendon injury, throughout the England series and he is currently wearing a splint to aid his recovery. He was set to open in the T20Is against South Africa, but will now be sidelined until Australia’s series against India starts on September 22 in India just prior to the World Cup.
On the other hand, Mitchell Starc was ruled out after he complained of soreness in the groin. His absence from the South Africa tour is unrelated to the shoulder issue he suffered at the tail end of that tour, which he sustained while playing the WTC final and four of the five Ashes Tests in an eight-week span in the UK.
“The compacted Ashes series and the World Test Championship was a heavy load for the group, and we are taking a conservative approach to the build-up to the World Cup. With the World Cup the priority of the squad, it was determined on advice that it was best for Steve and Mitchell to join the group in India by which time we expect them to be fully fit and available for the Indian ODI series, plus the World Cup warm-up fixture,” national selection panel chair George Bailey told cricket.com.au.
Pat Cummins will join the squad during that series but is not assured of playing as he returns from a fractured wrist.
Mitchell Marsh Named Captain Of Australia; Ashton Turner, Spencer Johnson And Marnus Labuschagne Added To The Squad
Steve Smith was supposed to lead the Australian team in ODIs and now, Mitchell Marsh, who was to captain the side in T20Is, will take over as captain in the ODI series as well.
Due to the absence of three-format stars Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green, and David Warner, Australia has already chosen a depleted side for the T20Is against South Africa.
Because of this, the selection committee had to look to the reserves, naming pacer Spencer Johnson, who has no experience, to replace Starc and Ashton Turner, who will take the place of Smith in T20Is. Marnus Labuschagne was also included in the ODI team as Smith’s replacement despite not making the initial World Cup roster.
Glenn Maxwell will play in the T20I series against South Africa starting on August 30 but then miss the five-match ODI series which follows in order to be at home for the birth of his first child before re-joining Australia’s squad for three matches against India.
Schedule for Australia tour of South Africa:
August 30: First T20I, Durban
September 1: Second T20I, Durban
September 3: Third T20I, Durban
September 7: First ODI, Bloemfontein
September 9: Second ODI, Bloemfontein
September 12: Third ODI, Potchefstroom
September 15: Fourth ODI, Centurion
September 17: Fifth ODI, Johannesburg
Updated Australia ODI squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Updated Australia T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Short, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Turner, Adam Zampa