Cricket Australia on Wednesday named all-rounder Marcus Stoinis as replacement for injured Mitchell Marsh for the remaining two Tests against India.
Marsh had suffered a shoulder injury during the second Test in Bengaluru, that saw India previal by 75-runs and level the four-match series 1-1. Marsh had forgettable series, scoring just 48 runs in the two Test played and bowling all of five overs.
The remaining third and fourth Tests will be played in Ranchi and Dharamsala respectively.
Earlier, coach Darren Lehmann had hinted at his side going for a specialist batsman as a replacement, “I was confident (Marsh was fit), I thought he played really well in the second innings in Pune where he got 31. At the end of the day it’s unlucky for Mitch and we move to whoever the next person who comes in (is). Whether we go with Usman Khawaja or Glenn Maxwell or whoever’s selected, we’ll just wait and see,” Lehmann said.
Stoinis, who is a batting all-rounder, had a modest Sheffield Shield season, averaging 15.63 with the bat and 39 with the ball. The 27-year-old had impressed after scoring an unbeaten 146 against New Zealand in a losing cause during the recently-concluded Chappell-Hadlee series.
