Glenn Maxwell, originally named in both the T20I and ODI squads, will miss Australia’s upcoming limited-overs tour of South Africa due to an elbow injury. He will be replaced by D'Arcy Short, Cricket Australia confirmed on Wednesday reports Cricbuzz.
Maxwell, who was managing his troubled left elbow through the BBL, reported increased pain over the weekend, following which scans revealed “some loose fragments of bone within his elbow joint”. He will now undergo surgery and is expected to be out for six to eight weeks. As a result, he might miss at least the start of the IPL. This also means a further delay to Maxwell's anticipated international return since his mental health break late last year.
“Representing Australia is the highest honour in cricket and something I cherish,” Maxwell said.
“I was not confident that I could perform at international level with my elbow in its current state and have decided to undergo surgery straight away to fix the issue.
“I would like to thank Justin Langer, Ben Oliver, Trevor Hohns and the whole Australian squad for their understanding.”
Maxwell's absence is a blow to Australia, considering his superb form in the BBL. Although his team Melbourne Stars lost in the final, Maxwell himself enjoyed a good tournament scoring 398 runs at an average of 39.80, including three fifties.
“We are disappointed to lose Glenn this close to the tour as we were looking forward to welcoming him back to the national side in both the 20- and 50-over formats after his break during the summer,” national selector Trevor Hohns said. “Unfortunately, the pain he has experienced in the elbow in the latter stages of the BBL increased over the weekend and he will have surgery immediately to rectify the situation.
“An opportunity has now presented itself for D’Arcy and we’re confident he'll make the most of whatever opportunities come his way in South Africa. Like Glenn, D’Arcy is an inventive, hard-hitting batsman who offers a handy spin-bowling option. We have no doubt he will make a positive contribution to the squad.”
