Australia gearing up for a thrilling clash against India in a three-ODI series, has received a blow with the news that star pacer Mitchell Starc and allrounder Glenn Maxwell will be missing from the lineup for the first match.
The series is slated to begin on Friday in Mohali, with subsequent matches in Indore and Rajkot. Both teams are looking to fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming ODI World Cup.
One of Australia’s premier pacers, Mitchell Starc, has been pivotal in their bowling attack. However, he has not played a competitive match for Australia since the conclusion of the Ashes series against England in July. During the final Ashes Test, Starc played through the pain of a shoulder injury but finished as the highest wicket-taker with 23 scalps, earning him the Player-of-the-Series accolade.
Glenn Maxwell, known for his explosive batting and handy spin bowling, will also be conspicuous by his absence in the first ODI. Maxwell had suffered a horrific broken leg last year and faced another setback during a training session in South Africa when he aggravated his ankle.
Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, provided an update on the injury status of Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell. While Cummins and Steve Smith have recuperated and are fully fit for the first ODI, Starc and Maxwell won’t participate in the series opener. Cummins expressed optimism about Starc’s availability later in the series as the left-arm pacer continues to work on his recovery.
Cummins said: “Starc is here. He wants to play tomorrow but will hopefully be available later in the series. Same for Maxwell.”
Mitchell Starc’s absence in the series’ initial matches raises concerns for Australia. Starc has been a pivotal figure in their bowling attack and was the highest wicket-taker in the last two editions of the ODI World Cup. Australia will be hoping for his swift recovery, given his stellar record in ODIs, especially against India.
India vs Australia 2023, schedule:
September 22: First ODI, Mohali (D/N)
September 24: Second ODI, Indore (D/N)
September 27: Third ODI, Rajkot (D/N)
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India squad for first two ODIs: KL Rahul (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna
India squad for the third ODI: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj
Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
