Hopes ruled out of ODI series

Australia have suffered another blow in their bid to win the ODI series against India with James Hopes following Tim Paine and paceman Brett Lee home.

Hopes damaged his right hamstring during the first ODI at Vadodara and will return to Brisbane to continue his recovery.

Lee's elbow injury ruled him out of the series on Friday, a day after Paine broke a finger in the second match in Nagpur.

Yesterday the tourists suffered a six-wicket defeat in Delhi to go 2-1 down in the seven-match series, which continues in Mohali tomorrow.

Australia physiotherapist Kevin Sims said: "James has done everything he can with medical staff to try and make himself available for the remaining games of the tour of India.

"However, due to the compressed nature of this tour and his speed of recovery so far we feel now we have insufficient time to have James fully fit to take part in the remaining games.

"Therefore James will return to Australia where he will continue his rehabilitation."
Australia have called up Victoria fast bowler Clinton McKay in place of Lee, starting from the fifth game at Hyderabad on Thursday.

They also confirmed New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques, who made his debut yesterday, will remain with the squad for the remainder of the series.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said: "Clinton is a young, promising bowler who performed well at interstate level last season and has recent very good form for Victoria in the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 in India.

"He will be very well suited to Indian conditions and we believe he is another young player who benefit from the experience of being in the Australian team set-up during this tour. We also feel he has the ability to perform well at the international level.

"With Moises having played in the last ODI game and James Hopes going home, Moises will now remain with the squad in India for the duration of the series."

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Hopes out for Nagpur, doubts over Lee and Johnson

Australia have been hit with injury worries to their bowlers just one game into the seven-match series against India, with James Hopes ruled out of the second match and a question mark over the availability of strike bowlers Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson.

Allrounder Hopes suffered a hamstring strain during the first match in Vadodara on Sunday. Mitchell Johnson left the field briefly with a left ankle problem while Lee complained of a sore elbow. Lee managed only six overs during the chase, left the field after his second spell and later returned.

"Hopes, Lee and Johnson all underwent scans in Vadodara this morning," team physiotherapist Kevin Sims said. "James has suffered a minor right hamstring strain. He will therefore be unavailable for the next game... however [he] is expected to be available for the latter games of this series.

"Brett Lee has a mild right elbow strain and will continue to be treated and assessed prior to the next game.

"Mitchell Johnson suffered an inversion strain of his left ankle. He will now receive treatment and, as with Brett, it will depend on how he responds to treatment over the next two days before a decision is made on his availability for the second game of the series."

Australia lost key players Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Nathan Bracken to injuries before the tour began. The captain Ricky Ponting didn't hide his displeasure over the scheduling of the ODI series, which began just three days after the Champions League Twenty20, where the New South Wales players arrived in Vadodara to join the rest of their Australia team-mates less than 12 hours before the match.

The second ODI is in Nagpur on Wednesday.

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"Feel awkward to sledge Indians"

A series between India and Australia in the last few years have given way to some anxious heated moments.

However, the seven-match ODI series, which is commencing from October 25 in Vadodara, may witness this time a lesser number of sledging incidents on Australia's part.

"It is easier to get under the skin of a person if you don't know him personally. But thanks to the Indian Premier League, we know many of the (Indian) players and hence it becomes awkward sometimes," says all-rounder James Hopes.

"Things can get a bit heated when you are on the field but the difference from the earlier times is that it will be restricted on the field. Once the match is over we clarify all the issues off the field," he adds.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper Tim Paine also replied in the negative when asked about on-ground sledging.

"I have done it a few times in the domestic matches but yet to open my mouth in the international matches. If I have to say anything, I would rather say it to the bowler and the skipper," Paine said.

Australia speedstar Mitchell Johnson, who has already talked about giving chin music to the Indian batsmen, recalls an incident when he tried to sledge Rahul Dravid during last year's Delhi Test.

"I hoped to put Rahul Dravid off his game and really sledged him. He was batting on 50-plus. But he hardly reacts.

I realised soon that I was wasting my breath," he said.

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