Australia will be without two of their key players at the start of the ODI series against India, each missing out for different reasons.
It’s a double setback for Australia ahead of the ODI series. Star spinner Adam Zampa will miss the first match, while top-order batter Josh Inglis is ruled out of the opening two games.
Left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe have been called up as replacements for the first ODI.
Zampa will be unavailable as he stays home to be with his wife, who is expecting their first child. The baby is due just before the opening ODI, and with limited time to travel from their home in New South Wales to Perth, Zampa has opted to sit out the first game. He is expected to rejoin the team for the remaining matches in Adelaide and Sydney.
Inglis, meanwhile, is still recovering from the muscle injury that ruled him out of the recent tour of New Zealand. The aggressive batter is expected to return for the third ODI in Sydney on October 25.
With Alex Carey already unavailable for the first match due to Sheffield Shield commitments, Philippe has been included as a wicketkeeping option. He has previously played three ODIs for Australia, the last in July 2021. Carey will return for the second game, meaning Philippe’s role is likely to be limited to the opening match.
Kuhnemann will also feature only in the first ODI. The 29-year-old spinner, who has played four ODIs with his last appearance in June 2022, will be playing his first one-day international on home soil.
Over the past few months, Zampa has been part of nearly every Australian tour — from the World Test Championship final in England to the Test and T20 series in the West Indies, followed by home series against South Africa, and most recently, the T20 series in New Zealand. Despite being part of so many squads, he has featured in just one match, the second T20 in the Caribbean.
Australia’s ODI series against India begins this Sunday, with the remaining two matches scheduled for October 23 and 25.
