Cummins To Return To Australia; Hazlewood To Miss Last Two India Tests

Mumbai: Having already lost the first two Tests of the ongoing four-match series in India, Australia have further been dented by fitness concerns in their camp.

Similarly, Australia captain Pat Cummins will return to Australia due to a family illness but is expected to head back to India before the start of the third Test.

The Australia Test cricket captain will return home briefly due to a family illness while the rest of the team remains in the sub-continent.

The 29-year-old will travel to Sydney before re-joining the team in India ahead of the third Test in Indore that is set to start on March 1.

Cummins has taken three wickets at an average of 39.66 in the series so far as Australia has been outplayed by India and lost the opening two Tests.

Hazlewood had picked up the injury during the New Year’s Test against South Africa in Sydney last month. His unavailability at the start of the ongoing series prompted Scott Boland’s inclusion in the first Test in Nagpur before Australia opted for a 3-1 spin-pace combination in the second Test in Delhi. He will now fly back home to continue his rehabilitation programme in Sydney.

Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed Hazlewood’s unavailability and expressed uncertainty over David Warner, who had sustained an elbow injury during the Delhi Test and was subsequently subbed out of the game with a concussion.