Broken finger rules Shaun Marsh out of Sri Lanka series

Australia has suffered yet another causality when left-handed batsman Shaun Marsh withdrew from the ongoing Sri Lankan tour following a finger injury. The injury sees Marsh ruled out of the next two One-Dayers and will subsequently be replaced by Usman Khawaja for the following two matches. The same was confirmed in a statement made by Cricket Australia’s physiotherapist team head David Beakley.

“Shaun suffered an injury to his left little finger whilst fielding in the match yesterday,” David Beakley, the team physiotherapist, said. “An x-ray after the match confirmed a fracture and Shaun will now return to Perth to allow time for this to heal.”

Although this may seem as a like for like change, Khawaja has not been in the best of the form of late. A string of low scores ensured that Khawaja eventually lost out his place in the second Test match. Shaun Marsh came into the side for the third Test and did reasonably well as he smashed a century in the first innings. Despite the loss suffered by the Aussies in the match, it was clear to the selectors that Marsh was a better choice in subcontinent conditions ahead of Usman Khawaja.

However, now, with Marsh’s injury, Khawaja seems to be the automatic pick and will be expected to bat alongside David Warner and Aaron Finch in the upcoming ODI at Dambulla on Wednesday. The fourth match of the five-match ODI series, which Australia lead 2-1, will be played in Dambulla on Wednesday (August 31).

Also read – The unfortunate Australia predicament

Earlier, Steve Smith was withdrawn from the Australian squad due to a bad case of fatigue. In spite of many former players like Michael Clarke and Michael Slater criticizing the Aussie skipper, the Australian Cricket Board acquiesced to Smith’s request and replaced him with David Warner. John Hastings has also come into the squad.