James Hopes

Calcutta: Cricket Australia (CA) Sunday confirmed Australian all-rounder James Hopes will return to Australia to continue his recovery from a right hamstring injury suffered during the first ODI in Vadodara.

Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel (NSP) have named Victorian fast bowler Clinton McKay as a replacement player for the injured Brett Lee while New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques will now remain with the squad for the remainder of the series.

CA 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 we have insufficient time to have James fully fit to take part in the remaining games of this series.

Therefore a decision has been made that James will return to Australia where he will continue his rehabilitation from this hamstring injury.”

NSP chairman Andrew Hilditch said: “With the injuries to Brett Lee and Hopes and both of these players returning to Australia, the NSP has taken the opportunity to add another bowler to the squad in Clinton McKay.

“Clinton is a young promising bowler who performed well at inter-state level last season and has shown very good form for Victoria in the Champions League 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.”

Hopes will return to Brisbane while McKay will join the Australian team in Hyderabad.