Australian superstar Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out of the upcoming T20 series against South Africa due to a minor ankle injury.
On Monday afternoon, Cricket Australia confirmed that Maxwell had suffered a minor aggravation to his left ankle during the team’s first training session in Durban.
The 34-year-old Victorian, sidelined for several months last summer after fracturing his fibula, was already expected to miss the ODI series against South Africa for paternity leave.
Australia will now be without Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Cameron Green, David Warner and Maxwell for the T20 leg of the tour.
“We are taking a precautionary approach, given Glenn was heading home next week in any case,” national Selector Tony Dodemaide said in a statement.
“We will monitor Glenn’s recovery with a view to him being available for the three-match ODI series in India in advance of the World Cup.”
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Matthew Wade has replaced Maxwell in Australia’s T20 squad and will join the touring party ahead of Wednesday’s first match at Kingsmead.
The 35-year-old, who has represented Australia in 75 T20Is since his international debut in 2011, was a member of the triumphant T20 World Cup squad in 2021. He captained Australia in its most recent T20I match, a four-run victory over Afghanistan in Adelaide.
“Wadey is a world class performer and is fit and ready to go, having this week completed his commitments with the London Spirit in The Hundred,” Dodemaide continued.
The first T20 between South Africa and Australia gets underway at Kingsmead on Thursday morning AEST at 2am.
