Australia Women team’s star all-rounder Ellyse Perry has been ruled out of the first T20I of the three-match series against New Zealand starting on Saturday (26 September) at the Allan Border Field in Brisbane.

On Friday (September 25) ahead of their first international game, Australia women captain Meg Lanning has confirmed that Perry will not take part in the opening match of the T20I series against New Zealand as she is still “working through her return-to-play plan”.

The 29-year-old all-rounder tore her right hamstring during the Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year at home and underwent surgery in March, since then, she has been on the road to recovery with an aim to be fit for the home summer starting against New Zealand Women.

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However, Perry's minimal involvement in the training sessions had already hinted that she is unlikely for the starter for the T20I series against the White Ferns and now Lanning has confirmed the same.

Lanning stated: “She's still working through her return-to-play plan. When she ticks off all those markers, she'll be available, but she's still working through that so we won't see her tomorrow.”

The T20I series will be followed by three ODIs and Lanning has insisted that Perry is doing everything to be able to take part in the New Zealand series at home.

She signed off by saying, “She's doing everything she can to get up and play (at some point in the series), and she's got a very good plan in place - everyone has looked after her, and once she gets through that she'll be available.”

(With Cricket.com.au Inputs)