Australia Test captain Pat Cummins will not return to India for the final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Steven Smith will continue to the Aussies as they seek to level the four-match series.
Cummins returned home after Australia’s second Test defeat in Delhi to be close to his family, with mother Maria place into palliative care in Sydney.
Cummins is due to captain the ODI squad for the three-match series which follows the Tests, but a decision on his participation in that is yet to be taken. He had already pulled himself out of this year’s IPL citing packed international schedule. Australia will play the final of the 2021-23 World Test Championship (WTC) in June, against either India or Sri Lanka, before the Ashes – a five-match Test series.
On the other, another fast bowler Jhye Richardson has been ruled out of the ODI series against India, and his IPL stint with Mumbai Indians (MI) is also doubtful. The 26-year-old reportedly aggravated his hamstring injury, which he first sustained during the 2022-23 Big Bash League (BBL) season.
Nathan Ellis, who has represented Australia in three ODIs so far, will replace Richardson in the 16-man squad.
The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will host the series opener on March 17, while Vishakapatnam and Chennai are scheduled to play host for the remaining two games before the IPL commences on March 31.
Australia’s ODI squad for India tour:
Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Ellis, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.
