ODI World Cup 2023: Star Australia all-rounder doubtful for India tie, confirms head coach Andrew McDonald

Australia could be without their star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis for their World Cup 2023 opener against India on Sunday (Oct 8) in Chennai, head coach Andrew McDonald said to media on Thursday. Stoinis picked up a hamstring niggle during the first ODI against India in Mohali last month and has been out since, even opting to sit out in the two warm-up matches.

While addressing the media, McDonald said Australia will have two practice sessions on Thursday and Friday and will take a call on his selection after that only.

"He's got a slight hamstring complaint at this stage, so that's why he missed the practice games, and he'll be touch and go for the first game against India," Australia coach Andrew McDonald said of Stoinis.

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"We've got the main session today, and then another hit out tomorrow, so he'll go through his work there, and we'll see whether he's available for selection for game one, but at the moment, he wasn't fit and available for those practice games,” he added.

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In Stoinis’ absence, Cameron Green got an extended run and proved his worth against Pakistan in their second warm-up tie in Hyderabad. Speaking about their plans of including all all-rounders in the playing XI at some time during the World Cup campaign, McDonald said,

"There's a way that we can fit them both into the one side," McDonald said.

"Over the last 18 months, we've had a pretty clear way that we want to build three ways of playing. One of those ways is definitely with all the all-rounders and potentially two quicks, and you've seen that side in the past 18 months being played, so there is a real possibility that both of those players can be in the same XI, and we haven't ruled that out," the head coach added.

‘Maxwell pulled up really well’

Emphasizing the value in-form Maxwell adds to the side, McDonald said with both Green and Glenn Maxwell starring with both bat and ball in the lead-up to the marquee event, Australia would like to benefit from this and move forward accordingly in the tournament.

"Cameron Green got a little bit of time in the middle also, and clearly Glenn Maxwell being able to cope with the demands of the game that he played, a significant innings plus being able to back up and bowl as many overs as he did. He has pulled up really well,” McDonald said.

“So, a few of those moving parts that we had leading in have unfolded positively for us, which is nice. If you asked me two weeks ago, I would have been a little bit worried, but now everything seems to have come together nicely,” the head coach further admitted.

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