Australia all-rounder Aaron Hardie is set to accompany the rest of the squad for their upcoming tour to India. Hardie will be serving as a backup player for Sean Abbott and Nathan Ellis, both of whom have incurred minor injuries in the recent South Africa tour.
This news comes at a time when Australia is grappling with a 3-2 defeat in the one-day international series and some new injury anxieties, just three weeks from the commencement of their World Cup campaign in India.
There are doubts over opening batter Travis Head’s participation in the signature event, following the fracture he sustained on his finger during the South African tour. In response, the team management decided to bring in an additional batter, Matthew Short. To further compound the problems, Abbott suffered a tear in the webbing of his fingers, and Ellis picked up a groin strain in South Africa.
As it stands, Hardie will remain with the team for the three ODIs scheduled to take place between September 22 and September 27 against India, following his ODI debut in Bloemfontein on September 9.
Boosting the squad’s morale, the core players, including Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Glenn Maxwell, will return to the one-day international team for the series against India after recovering from their individual injuries.
This exciting development should bolster the squad ahead of their Indian tour, despite the prevailing injury concerns. The series and its outcome will provide reasonable insight into the team’s preparation and potential performance in the upcoming World Cup. The two sides will then lock horns in their opening match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 on October 8.
Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, 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, Aaron Hardie (back-up).
