Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is expected to miss the three-match one-day series against Pakistan following a training mishap.
The 2021 ODI World Cup hero sustained the injury during a high-intensity fielding drill in Lahore, revealed white-ball captain Aaron Finch in a press conference.
Marsh’s injury has cleared the way for rising all-rounder Cameron Green to play his second ODI on Tuesday, after helping Australia to a 1-0 Test series victory over Pakistan in Lahore.
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“He’s injured his hip flexor, we think, at training,” Finch said of Marsh.
“We are going to have to wait to see what that looks like, but I don’t think he’ll be available for the series based on how he was feeling yesterday.
“He sustained that in a fielding drill, it was a high-intensity, lateral-movement drill, and he bent down to pick (a ball) up one-handed and went to throw and felt a twinge.”
The Australian white-ball squad had already been missing a host of top-class players, including Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, David Warner and Glenn Maxwell.
Green’s only ODI match to date came in December 2020, when the Western Australian youngster met India at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
“Cam will play and probably bat in that middle-order role… we’ve seen he’s a super talented cricketer. His impact with the bat and ball can’t be understated,” Finch said.
“We’ve still got a really solid idea of what our squad and our 11 would look like if the World Cup was tomorrow. It’s about making sure we are building that depth.
“(Green’s) impact with the bat and ball can’t be understated.”
Green, Ben McDermott, Nathan Ellis, Mitchell Swepson and Ben Dwarshuis are among the members of the white-ball squad yet to become mainstays of the XI.
“It’s a great opportunity for guys to put their hands up and really build a case for their long-term spot in the squad. The excitement of having a younger side is huge, as well,” Finch said.
“It’s about guys taking their opportunities when they present themselves.
“There’s going to be difficult times throughout the series, but really excited for these guys to get an opportunity.”
One T20 in Rawalpindi will follow three ODIs in Lahore.
Australian white-ball squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa
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