While awaiting information on whether Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green would be fit for the series, Australia has named an 18-person squad for the Border-Gavaskar series in India, including 22-year-old Todd Murphy.
Despite being selected, Mitchell Starc will sit out at least the first game of the four-game series, which starts on February 9 in Nagpur, as he continues to recover from the left index finger tendon injury that prevented him from playing in the third Test against South Africa of the recently concluded series in Sydney. The timely healing of Cameron Green’s broken finger is also necessary for his inclusion as an all-around player.
Australia is hopeful that all-rounder Cameron Green will be ready for the first Test against India, which begins in less than a month, but the outlook is less favourable for Mitchell Starc, a quick bowler. In the Boxing Day Test, Anrich Nortje’s rising delivery struck Green on the glove, breaking his right index finger.
George Bailey, the chair of selectors, gave some updates on the team’s injuries to the media after the announcement of Australia’s touring party to play India.
“Greeny, we’re hopeful that he should be right for the first Test,” Bailey said.
“But if not that, that’s okay. We feel like we’ve got the squad that can cover that.
“Starcy’s not expected to be available for the first Test, in fact he’s going to come across to India a touch later.”
When Peter Handscomb was batting for St. Kilda in a T20 game on Tuesday night, he was forced to leave the game due to injury. Despite receiving a hip injury, Handscomb didn’t leave the field until the next over, when he collapsed to the ground after hitting a six.
“Pete’s got a scan tomorrow morning to check on that. He’s confident it’s nothing too serious,” Bailey told reporters.
“A bit of a mishap. He just copped a ball on the back hip, and then three balls later he dispatched one and just felt something give a little bit in there.
“There’s still quite a bit of time between now and when we depart and even when the first test is, so we’ll work through that as we get more information.”
