Cricket Australia on Wednesday said Richardson withdrew from the squad to be with his wife and their newborn son in Adelaide.
Pace bowler Andrew Tye has been drafted into Australia’s squad to replace Kane Richardson for the series of one-day and Twenty20 internationals against India starting next week.
Cricket Australia on Wednesday said Richardson withdrew from the squad to be with his wife and their newborn son in Adelaide.
“It was a difficult decision for Kane to make, but one which has the complete support of the selectors and the entire playing squad,” national selector Trevor Hohns said. "We will miss what he brings to the team but completely understand his decision.”
The 33-year-old Tye has played 7 ODIs and 26 T20 internationals and was a backup paceman on Australia's recent tour to England, which finished with an ODI series win over the World Cup winners.
Meanwhile, a new outbreak of COVID-19 infections in South Australia state resulted in players from some domestic teams flying into New South Wales state to avoid any potential new border closures.
The new cases in South Australia are up to 20 from a cluster in northern Adelaide, and health officials have also identified 14 others who are considered at high risk of having the virus.
After the limited-overs series, Australia and India will meet in four test matches starting with a day-nighter scheduled to begin at the Adelaide Oval on Dec. 17. Cricket Australia said it would continue to monitor the situation in Adelaide but that it remains committed to holding the first test there.
As a precaution, it said players and staff from Western Australia, Tasmania and Queensland states who are part of the ODI squad were traveling to Sydney to begin their preparations for both series. The first ODI is Nov. 27 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“CA has taken a proactive approach and mobilized a number of people across the country over the past 24 hours to shore up our men’s domestic and international schedules, Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia’s interim chief executive, said. “CA will continue to monitor the situation in South Australia and the resulting border restrictions around the country.”
