In what can be termed as a huge blow for the Australian team, ace batter Steve Smith and pacer Mitchell Starc have been ruled out of their upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa which begins on August 30.
Australia is scheduled to play 3 T20Is and 5 ODIs on their tour of South Africa and has already named a depleted squad for the T20I series with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green, and David Warner all resting.
And now Steve Smith, who was set to open in T20Is, has been ruled out of the entire tour due to a wrist injury he suffered during the Ashes 2023 series.
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 will now be sidelined until Australia's series against India starts on September 22 in India just before the World Cup.
On the other hand, Mitchell Starc complained of soreness in the groin since returning from the UK where he played the WTC final and four of the five Ashes Tests in an eight-week block, and his absence from the South Africa tour is not related to the shoulder injury he battled at the back end of that tour.
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"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 said to cricket.com.au.
In Smith and Pat Cummins’ absence, Mitchell Marsh has been captain of both ODI and T20I teams on the South Africa tour. Marsh will captain the T20I side in South Africa for the first time and is only an interim captain for this series as Australia's selectors are holding off on a full-time appointment until a later date.
Pat Cummins will join the squad during that series but is not assured of playing as he returns from a fractured wrist.
In another revelation, star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will play in the T20Is against South Africa starting on August 30 but then miss the five-match ODI series to be present for the birth of his first child. He will rejoin the Australian squad for the India series and the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Australia named Ashton Turner and Spencer Johnson as the replacements for Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc in the T20Is, while Marnus Labuschagne has been added to the ODI squad. Johnson was already named in the T20I squad and now will stay back for the ODI series as well.
Michael Di Venuto will coach the T20 side along with Clint McKay and Australian women's assistant coach Dan Marsh.
Here are the updated Australia T20I and ODI squads for the South Africa tour:
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
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
(Cricket.com.au and ESPNCricinfo inputs)
