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Cricket

‘Kuch nhi hua inhe, yeh sab strategy hai’ - Fans react as Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith set to miss SA Tour due to injury

Here is how fans have reacted as both Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith get ruled out of the upcoming Australia tour of South Africa

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Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith

Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith (Image Source: Twitter)

Australia’s tour of South Africa will begin on 30 August 2023 as they will play three T20Is and then they will a five-match ODI series from 7 to 17 September. But, ahead of the series, they dealt with a blow as both Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith are going to miss the upcoming tour due to injuries.

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They have already confirmed that Pat Cummins is set to miss the tour due to a fractured wrist. Mitchell Marsh will be captaining the side. Steve Smith is nursing a tendon injury to his left wrist. He is expected to be sidelined for up to another four weeks. While Starc has been facing issues regarding his groin soreness since returning from the UK.

Marnus Labuschagne is set to replace Steve Smith in the ODI squad for the upcoming SA tour

Regarding this, the national selection panel chair George Bailey said: "The compacted Ashes series and the World Test Championship was a heavy load for the group, and we are taking a conservative approach to the build-up to the World Cup."

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"With the World Cup the priority of the squad, it was determined on advice that it was best for Steve and Mitchell to join the group in India by which time we expect them to be fully fit and available for the Indian ODI series, plus the World Cup warm-up fixture," he further added.

Meanwhile, in the T20 squad, Ashton Turner has been named as Smith’s replacement while in the ODI squad, Marnus Labuschagne will replace Steve Smith and Spencer Johnson will replace Starc. However, Labuschagne failed to get a palace earlier in the squad and then, Bailey said: "We know Marnus at his best is good enough to hold down a spot in the one-day team, we just haven't seen enough of it consistently in the role that we'd like him to do." Still, Pat Cummins is expected to join the squad in South Africa during the later part of the tour but Starc is expected to join the team in India where they are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series just before the 2023 ODI World Cup. 

Here is how fans have reacted:

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