Australia’s star all-rounder, Ashton Agar, has unfortunately been sidelined from the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled to kick off in India on October 5th. This news comes as a significant blow for the Australian team ahead of their World Cup campaign.
Agar has been grappling with calf problems for quite some time now. His calf experienced a minor tear during his training sessions with the Western Australia team just before they were set to embark on their tour of South Africa. Even though he managed to return to play for the ODI series, his participation was short-lived, as he had to pull out after the very first match. This decision was prompted by his ongoing discomfort and persistent calf soreness.
Agar rushed back home to be there for the birth of his child, which meant he couldn’t participate in the series against India. However, he was still in Australia’s World Cup squad, and there was hopeful anticipation that he would return during the warm-up matches.
Adding to the Australian team’s challenges were the injuries to Nathan Ellis and Travis Head. Now, with Agar’s injury, it’s become another source of concern for the team’s Cricket Management.
Agar embarked on his ODI journey back in 2015 and has featured in just 22 matches since then. His bowling stats show 21 wickets at an average of 45.62, while with the bat, he has contributed 322 runs at an average of 24.77. These figures may not immediately catch the eye, but it’s crucial to bear in mind the challenging conditions he’s faced. Operating primarily in Australia and England, where spinners typically find it tough to extract assistance from the pitches, and being positioned lower in the batting order, Agar’s performances should be evaluated in this context. The Australian team is set to kick off their World Cup campaign on October 8 in Chennai against India.
Comments 2