Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc To Miss South Africa Tour, Eye Comeback For India ODIs

18.08.2023 - 11:09 sports.ndtv.com

Injured Australian stalwarts Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc will miss the limited-overs tour of South Africa but are expected to be fit for the ODI series in India ahead of the World Cup.

Australia captain Pat Cummins is recovering from a wrist fracture suffered during the Ashes in England, while Smith is nursing a tendon injury on his left wrist, which has sidelined him for four weeks, according to Cricket Australia.

Both will miss the three T20Is in South Africa from August 30 to September 3, which will be followed by five ODIs from September 7-17.

The pair will return for the three-match ODI series against India beginning September 22 along with left-arm pace bowler Mitchell Starc, who is also not in the squad for the South Africa series.

cricket Australia Cricket Team South Africa Cricket Team India Cricket Team comeback Pat Cummins Mitchell Starc Steve Smith Mitchell Marsh Steven Smith George Bailey Australia South Africa India county Smith

Star all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is not looking to "reinvent the wheel" and would rather continue what regular skipper Pat Cummins and coach Andrew McDonald have been doing when he captains Australia in the upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa. The 31-year-old will be leading the Australian T20 and ODI side in the absence of Cummins, who is nursing a fractured wrist, in the white-ball series against the Proteas. "I probably won't try and reinvent the wheel at all. I think the most important thing I've learned about leadership is staying true to yourself," Marsh told cricket.co.au.

Steve Smith Reveals He Picked Up Wrist Injury During Ashes Test At Lord's

Premier Australian batter Steve Smith has revealed that he was nursing an injury for the better part of the Ashes series, having wounded his wrist during the Lord's Test. The 34-year-old had torn a tendon in his left wrist during the second Test at Lord's after making a match-winning 110 in the first innings. "I did it at Lord's. I don't actually know the moment, it was when we were in the field. It wasn't until that night I was like, 'Geez, what have I done here, it's a bit sore'," Smith told 'Fox Cricket'. "I played the next game and then I had a cortisone before Old Trafford. I got back (to Australia) and I was like, 'Still not quite right. I still can't do a lot of things properly'.

Marsh happy to captain Australia for as long as needed

MELBOURNE : Mitchell Marsh said on Tuesday he will gladly captain Australia for as long as required as the all-rounder prepares to lead the Twenty20 and one-day sides on a tour of South Africa.

Star duo Smith, Starc out of Australia's tour of South Africa

Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc have been ruled out of Australia's white-ball tour of South Africa with injuries, but are expected to be fit for the Cricket World Cup.

Smith and Starc out of South Africa tour with injuries

MELBOURNE : Australia batter Steve Smith and fast bowler Mitchell Starc have been ruled out of the white-ball series in South Africa through injuries, but both are expected to be back in action in India next month.

'Adam Zampa, Mitchell Marsh Will Be Vital To Australia's Chances In World Cup': Mike Hussey

Former Australian cricketer Mike Hussey believes spinner Adam Zampa and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will play a crucial role in the team's bid to clinch the World Cup in India later this year. Leg-spinner Zampa, 31, was first picked in Australia's limited-overs squad in 2016 and since then has played 79 ODIs taking 131 wickets. With Indian conditions expected to favour spin bowling, Hussey believes Zampa would be the go-to bowler for Pat Cummins' side.