Australia have another injury scare ahead of their first game in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup against India on October 8, with Marcus Stoinis suffering from a hamstring injury.

Stoinis did not play in the last two ODIs against India last month and did not come out to either bat or bowl in the two warm-up games the team played ahead of the event. Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has confirmed that the all-rounder suffered a hamstring injury during the first ODI against the Men in Blue at Mohali, and joins Travis Head on the wounded list.

The injury means Stoinis’s participation in India clash will be touch and go, according to McDonald. “He certainly hasn’t been ruled out of that [India game], but we weren’t prepared to risk him in those practice games.

“We‘ve got the main session today [Thursday] and then another hit out tomorrow, so he’ll go through his work there and we’ll see whether he’s available for selection for game one.”

“These next couple of days (are) really important for him to press for selection for game one, and we‘ll see how that unfolds.”

If Stoinis is unavailable, Cameron Green could make his World Cup debut against India.

Australia are also carrying another injured player in their 15-member squad, with Travis Head out of at least the first half of the World Cup due to a fractured hand, which he sustained during last month’s ODI series against Australia.

The team is hopeful that the left-hander can attain full fitness towards the end of the edition and, hence, picked him in their squad.

Australia suffered a number of injury concerns recently, with both Pat Cummins and Steve Smith missing the South Africa series due to a fractured wrist and an injured wrist, respectively. Glenn Maxwell is also yet to fully recover from an ankle injury, with the player stating he would play the World Cup through the pain.

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