Melbourne, Sep 19 Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has been ruled out of upcoming three-match T20I tour of New Zealand due to a calf strain.
Inglis complained of a right calf issue after a running session in Perth earlier this week, and after scans was ruled out of the series to be played in Mount Maunganui.
Alex Carey has been parachuted into the Australian T20 squad for three-match series against New Zealand, starting from October 1.
It’s not the first calf injury for Carey, who also broke down while featuring as a sub-fielder in last year’s Boxing Day Test against India, which saw him miss the remainder of the BBL season ahead of his Test debut against Sri Lanka in late January.
An integral part of Australia’s white-ball line-ups, Inglis’ fitness also forces the Australians into a red-ball assessment, given the wicket-keeper will likely back-up Carey over the home Ashes summer. He is expected to be fit for the ODl series against India which begins in Perth on October 19.
Inglis is the fourth Australian player to be ruled out of the series after Pat Cummins was withdrawn due to lumbar bone stress, Cameron Green was left at home to play Sheffield Shield cricket as part of his Ashes build-up, and Nathan Ellis was unavailable due to impending birth of his first child.
The two teams will kickstart the three-match T20I series on October 1, with all three fixtures scheduled to be played at Bay Oval.
The series will offer valuable preparation to both the teams ahead of next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
The series between the trans-Tasman rivals will also mark a celebration of the 20th anniversary for the first-ever Men’s T20I fixture played between the two teams back in 2005 at Eden Park, Auckland.
Australia T20I squad v New Zealand
Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Alex Carey, Matthew Short, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Tim David, Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Matt Kuhnemann
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