IND-A v AUS-A: Moises Henriques ruled out of 3-day game with hamstring strain

All-rounder Moises Henriques was on Thursday ruled out of Australia A’s second warm-up match against India with a hamstring strain. 27-year-old Jack Wildermuth has joined the contingent in Sydney as a like-for-like replacement.

After the first three-day tour game against India A ended in a draw on Tuesday (December 8), the visitors' ‘A’ side are scheduled to play India’s Test squad in a pink-ball game at the Sydney Cricket Ground from December 11 to 13.

Moises Henriques, who broke into Australia’s limited-overs setup after a gap of two and a half years, played the two ODIs and three T20Is against India. Notably, the all-rounder replaced Marcus Stoinis in the playing XI, after the latter walked off the field during the first ODI with a side strain.

Henriques was also named in the 12-man Australia A squad, despite not being a part of the four-match Test series against India starting December 17. However, things took an ugly turn when Henriques went for scans on Wednesday (December 9), following which a low-grade left hamstring strain was detected.

“Hamstrung all-rounder Moises Henriques will miss the pink-ball tour game at the SCG as Australia’s injury toll continues to grow...Queensland all-rounded Jack Wildermuth has been parachuted into the Australia A squad on the eve of the match that begins at the SCG on Friday,” a report in ‘The West Australia’ was quoted as saying.

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Moises Henriques had a decent outing against India

Moises Henriques (centre) returned figures of 3 for 22 in the first T20I

Moises Henriques played as a finisher and also bowled frugal overs in the middle period during Australia’s recently-concluded limited-overs series against India. The 33-year-old all-rounder registered scores of 2* and 22 in the two ODIs, and also picked the key wicket of Shreyas Iyer in the second game.

The Sydney lad fared better in the 20-over format. In the three T20Is, Moises Henriques scored 61 runs at a strike rate of 152.50 and scalped 3 wickets at an impressive average of 10.33.

He is set to captain the Sydney Sixers in the ongoing BBL 2020-21, and the hamstring injury has put that assignment too in jeopardy.