MELBOURNE: Australia’s Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell will return to the One-day international squad for the three-match series in India after recovering from injury, the country’s cricket board said on Sunday.

The three ODIs, which will be played between Sept. 22-27 in Mohali, Indore and Rajkot, will serve as a tune-up for the 50-over World Cup which begins on Oct. 5.

Cummins has not played since the final Ashes Test in England in July as he nursed a fractured wrist while fellow fast bowler Starc has been recovering from a groin injury.

Smith played the Ashes series with a wrist tendon injury while Maxwell is returning from an ankle injury. All four players skipped the current ODI series in South Africa, with Mitchell Marsh captaining the side against the Proteas.

Matthew Short has also been called up as an extra batter while Travis Head recovers from a fracture to his left hand. Opening batter Head’s World Cup participation is in doubt after he broke his hand in Friday’s game against South Africa.

“Head will undertake further medical review on return to Australia before a return to play schedule is determined,” the National Selection Panel said. Australia have until Sept. 28 to finalise their 15-man World Cup squad.

Squad: Pat Cummins (captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matt Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2023