India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been announced as a last-minute replacement for the injured Axar Patel for the first three ODIs of the five-match series against Australia starting at Chennai on Sunday.
Left-arm spinner Patel had sprained his ankle in a practice net-session on Friday and did not take part in the team-training at all on Saturday.
“The All-India Senior Selection Committee named Ravindra Jadeja as the replacement for Axar Patel in the team for the first three ODIs in the five-match series against Australia starting tomorrow i.e. September 17, 2017 in MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai,” the BCCI said in a release.
Spin-twins Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja had been given a rest after the completion of India’s extensive tour of Sri Lanka where the visitors swept both the Test and ODI series in devastating fashion.
Ashwin had signed up with English outfit Worcestershire for the remainder of their County Championship Division Two campaign following the Sri Lanka tour.
With the team management advocating a rest and play policy for the players to prevent a burnout, the decision to add Jadeja as a replacement just one day prior to the series commencing is a little baffling.
Patel had played four matches in the recent ODI series in Sri Lanka.
Patel had played a vital part in the Men in Blue’s 5-0 victory over Sri Lanka in the 50-over format where he had played four of the matches.
The original 16-man squad for the first three ODIs against Australia had been announced on September 10.
Since then opener Shikhar Dhawan and now Axar Patel have dropped out of the squad, with the former being left-out due to personal commitments.
Steve Smith’s Australia have also suffered an injury blow ahead of the opening match at the M.A. Chidambaram stadium with opener Aaron Finch being ruled out for the first three games after aggravating a calf-strain.
Peter Handscomb is set to fly into Chennai on Saturday after being named as a cover for the injured Finch.
