Australia A's tour of India has suffered a major setback. All-rounder Aaron Hardie has been ruled out of the tour due to a shoulder injury. He has been replaced by Will Sutherland in the squad.
Sports News: All-rounder Aaron Hardie has been ruled out of Australia A's upcoming tour of India due to a shoulder injury. He has been replaced by Victoria's all-rounder Will Sutherland. Sutherland will play in the second of two four-day matches to be held in Lucknow. Sutherland was already part of the ODI squad for the tour and will now also play in the second four-day match in Lucknow.
Meanwhile, the player who will replace Hardie in the ODI team will be announced later. Hardie has now become the fourth player to be ruled out of the Indian tour due to injury.
Hardie's Absence a Major Blow to the Team
Aaron Hardie's absence could impact the team's strategy. He bats in the middle order and provides useful bowling when needed. Including Will Sutherland in his place is a practical solution for the team. Sutherland was already in the ODI squad and will now get an opportunity to play in the four-day match as well.
He has been included in the squad for the second match to be played in Lucknow. The announcement of who will replace Hardie in the ODI team will be made soon. This tour is proving to be challenging for Australia A. Hardie is the fourth player to be ruled out due to injury. Earlier, Lance Morris, Brody Couch, and Cam Whyte have also been ruled out of the Indian tour due to various injuries.
Questions are being raised about the team's fitness, but the management states that they are focusing on player recovery and team balance. This tour has become a test of fitness as well as performance for the players.
The Australia A team will play two unofficial Test matches (four-day matches) and three unofficial ODI matches in India. These matches will be held in Kanpur and Lucknow. Playing in Indian conditions is always challenging, so special attention is being paid to the fitness and mental preparation of the players. In such a situation, the increasing number of injuries is a cause for concern for the team.
Australia A's Four-Day Squad
Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neil, Oliver Pike, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam Scott, Will Sutherland (for the second match only), and Henry Thornton.
