A CA release said Head “will undertake further medical review on return to Australia before a return to play schedule is determined.” TV pictures during the final ODI in Johannesburg showed Head’s hand heavily bandaged and strapped following the blow he took from Gerald Coetzee at Centurion.
With Smith, Maxwell and Starc back in the squad, there is no room for Aaron Hardie, Tim David and Michael Neser, the first two of whom made their ODI debuts during the South Africa tour. Ashton Agar, who is on paternity leave, will also miss the India series.
Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, who was added to the ODI squad in South Africa as a replacement for Starc, will remain with the squad. So will Marnus Labuschagne, who wasn’t part of their South Africa contingent, but found a way into the squad thanks to Smith’s wrist injury, and then into the XI as a concussion sub for Cameron Green, before forcing himself back into the reckoning for the World Cup with scores of 80* and 124 in the first two ODIs.
Australia squad vs India Pat Cummins (capt), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa