PERTH — India will test out several uncapped players in the limited-over series in Australia, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Monday.
Injuries to fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma have taken sting out of the Indian attack and it will be without Suresh Raina’s all-round energy after the limited-overs specialist was dropped from the side.
India is likely to blood Barinder Sran, Gurkeerat Singh and Rishi Dhawan in the series and Dhoni acknowledged he will have to be patient with the uncapped trio.
“As far as newcomers are concerned, we’d definitely feature them in the tournament because we want to see where they stand,” Dhoni said ahead of the first match of the five-game series against the world champions Tuesday.
India will feel Shami’s absence most, the 25-year-old returning from a lengthy injury layoff only to land in Australia and be ruled out for the series with a hamstring injury.
India play five one-dayers and three Twenty20 Internationals on their tour of Australia.
Aussies name 2 uncapped fast bowlers for 1st ODI
Fast bowlers Joel Paris and Scott Boland will make their debuts for Australia in Tuesday’s opening One-Day International against India. Paris has been chosen to make his first international appearance on his home WACA Ground after being fast-tracked into the Australia squad following the retirement of Mitchell Johnson and and injury to Mitchell Starc.
Boland, from Victoria, has also been handed a debut as Australia replenishes its fast bowling stocks but allrounder Shaun Marsh has been omitted from the Australian lineup for the first match of the five-match series.
Captain Steve Smith said Paris was selected because Australia wants a left-armer in Perth “who can use the breeze and move the ball.”
Steyn ruled out of third Test
Fast bowler Dale Steyn has been ruled out of this week’s third Test against England in a major blow to South Africa’s bid to get back into the four-match series.
The shoulder injury which restricted his bowling in the first Test and forced him out the second has not healed in time for the third game starting at the Wanderers in Johannesburg Thursday, Cricket South Africa said Monday.
A spasm meant the 32-year-old Steyn was able to bowl only 22 balls in the second innings of the first Test in Durban which England won by 241 runs. The second Test at Newlands was drawn last week.
Astle called up for T20 series
Leg-spinning all-rounder Todd Astle is in line for a limited overs debut after being named in New Zealand’s 13-man squad for a World Twenty20 warmup series against Pakistan.
Astle, who played one Test for New Zealand three years ago, replaces legspinner Ish Sodhi from the squad that swept Sri Lanka in their two-match series.
The 29-year-old earns his spot after some solid all-round performances for Canterbury in New Zealand’s domestic 50-over competition but both he and Sodhi may still be retained for the World T20 in India, with coach Mike Hesson keen to take three spinners to the subcontinent.
Left-arm spinning all-rounder Mitch Santner is the other slow bowler in the Kane Williamson-captained squad.
Tom Latham has been added to the squad for the first match to replace resting batsman Ross Taylor, who will return for the second and third games, the only other change from the Sri Lanka series.
The World T20 starts in India in March. — Agencies
