Australia captain Michael Clarke has been ruled out of the tour to India and requires “extensive rehabilitation” ahead of the return Ashes series.
Australia captain Michael Clarke has been ruled out of the tour to India and requires “extensive rehabilitation” ahead of the return Ashes series.
The 32-year-old has suffered chronic back pain for much of his career and missed the Champions Trophy in June, soon after arriving in England.
Clarke will be replaced by Callum Ferguson for the one-day series and Twenty20 international against India.
Australia’s forthcoming fixtures
10 October: One-off T20 v India, Rajkot
13 October: 1st ODI v India, Pune
16 October: 2nd ODI v India, Jaipur
19 October: 3rd ODI, v India, Chandigarh
23 October: 4th ODI, v India, Ranchi
26 October: 5th ODI v India, Cuttack
30 October: 6th ODI v India, Nagpur
2 November: 7th ODI v India, Bangalore
21 November: 1st Ashes Test, Brisbane
Cricket Australia said the batsman’s back requires “ongoing management”. And Clarke’s withdrawal from the seven-match ODI series will prompt questions over his availability for the start of the Ashes, in Brisbane on 21 November.
Having finished bottom of their Champions Trophy group, Australia were beaten 3-0 in the Ashes – their third straight defeat in cricket’s oldest Test series – before winning the one-day series 2-1.Clarke hit a fluent 75 from 76 balls in the decisive fifth ODI having led by example during the Test series too, scoring 381 runs in 10 innings at an average of 47.62.
Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: “Michael Clarke has a long-standing low back injury that requires ongoing management.
“During the recent England ODI series his injury flared up again and has been slow to improve with his regular treatment regime.”Michael will therefore not be available to play the upcoming India ODI series and will require a more extensive rehabilitation period before returning to competitive cricket.”
The series in India begins with a Twenty20 international in Rajkot on10 October and concludes on 2 November – 19 days before the start of the second Ashes series of 2013.
Australia one-day squad to face India: George Bailey (capt), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Callum Ferguson, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin, Moises Henriques, Phil Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Adam Voges, Shane Watson.
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