In a major blow for Australia, star cricketers Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Starc will not feature in the team for the first ODI match against India. India host Australia in the the three-match ODI series starting on September 22 as their final preparations for the ICC World Cup 2023 which begins on October 5.
Australia captain Pat Cummins confirmed that both Maxwell and Starc are yet to recover from their previous injuries and will not play any part in the opening game at Mohali's PCA IS Bindra Cricket Stadium on Friday. However, he confirmed that the ace batter Steve Smith is all cleared to play and will feature in the playing eleven.
Cummins, Smith, Maxwell, and Starc missed the recent away ODI series against South Africa due to different injury issues but all are expected to regain match fitness through the India series. Cummins, who last played ODI cricket in November 2022, makes his return from a wrist injury but Maxwell and Starc are not fully recovered for the Mohali game.
"We have plenty of people at different stages," Cummins said during the pre-match press conference on Thursday. "I am feeling pretty good. My wrist is all healed now. I am 100 per cent (fit). I will run around tomorrow and hope to play all three games. In terms of a long list, (Mitchell) Starcy isn't available. We will give plenty of game time to everyone but also keep an eye on the World Cup. Smith is all good and he will play tomorrow. He has got a few good hits and he looks hundred percent."
Even in the absence of Starc and Maxwell, Cummins is expected to field a strong playing eleven in the series opener while India will be without the services of rested Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya for the opening two games
Australia Team for India ODIs: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis (wk), Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Cameron Green, Pat Cummins (c), Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, Sean Abbott, Matthew Short, Spencer Johnson, Tanveer Sangha, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc
