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Big Blow Ahead Of India Tour! Australia's Aaron Hardie Ruled Out of Series With Injury

Soumyajit Dutta

Aaron Hardie ruled out [Source: AFP Photos]Aaron Hardie ruled out [Source: AFP Photos]

Australia A's pace-bowling resources have been further depleted with news that all-rounder Aaron Hardie has been ruled out of the upcoming tour of India due to a shoulder injury. Hardie will miss both the four-day matches against India A, scheduled to begin on September 16 in Lucknow, as well as the subsequent three one-day fixtures in Kanpur.

Hardie's absence deals a significant blow to the squad's balance, as he was expected to be a key contributor with both bat and ball in the multi-format series. Victorian all-rounder Will Sutherland, initially named only in the one-day squad, will now replace Hardie for the second four-day match. A separate replacement for the one-day leg of the tour is expected to be announced in due course.

Injury Compounds Recent Struggles and Adds to Growing List

The setback comes at an unfortunate time for Hardie, who featured in Australia's recent T20I and ODI series against West Indies and South Africa but struggled for impact. Hardie has played 35 first-class matches while featuring in 15 ODIs for Australia.

However, Hardie's underwhelming performances had already seen him omitted from the senior T20I squad for the New Zealand tour, with selection for the A team intended to provide him with valuable playing time.

Though primarily an all-rounder, Aaron Hardie's injury exacerbates a growing crisis for Australian cricket, adding his name to a concerning list of sidelined fast bowlers. He is joined by Queensland teenager Callum Vidler, who has been ruled out with a partial stress fracture, while Test captain Pat Cummins is managing a lumbar bone stress injury and Lance Morris is undergoing back surgery.

This spate of injuries had even sparked speculation about fast-tracking Vidler into the A squad for the India tour, highlighting the depth challenges facing selectors.

Updated Australia A Four-Day squad

Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Fergus O'Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam Scott, Will Sutherland (second game only), Henry Thornton

Updated Australia A One-Day squad

Cooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Henry Thornton.