Australia have suffered a massive blow ahead of their upcoming ODI series against England as superstar Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out due to injury.
According to Cricket Australia, Maxwell fractured his leg in the backyard during a birthday party and underwent surgery on Sunday (November 13). As a result, the 34-year-old is all set to miss the ODIs against England, and there are fears that he might miss the rest of the summer as well.
Notably, Australia will play a three-match ODI series at home that starts later this month before they travel to India in February next year for four Tests and three ODIs.
Chief selector George Bailey said Maxwell is in good spirits, and Australia will miss his presence as he was in such good form. Bailey also mentioned that a timeline on Maxwell’s recovery is likely to be revealed later this week.
“Glenn is in good spirits. It was an unfortunate accident, and we feel for Glenn in the circumstances, given he was in great touch in his last few games. Glenn is a critical part of our white ball structure, and we will continue to support him through his recovery and rehabilitation,” said Bailey in a statement as quoted by cricket.com.au.
Maxwell’s sudden injury also means that the Victorian will miss the Big Bas League (BBL) too for the Melbourne Stars. Reacting to the news, Stars general manager Blair Crouch said: “Glenn is obviously a huge part of the Melbourne Stars, and we wish him well in his recovery. He will continue to be a key part of the club during the start of the season as he works his way back to full fitness and we look forward to seeing him soon.”
Meanwhile, Sean Abbott has been called to replace Maxwell in the squad for the England ODIs. The three-match leg is set to begin on November 17 in Adelaide. The second ODI will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on November 19 and similarly, the third and final game takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on November 22.
