Josh Philippe is set to play his first ODI for Australia in four years, after Josh Inglis failed to recover from his calf strain in time for the series opener against India.
Australian officials confirmed on Tuesday that Philippe had been called into the squad for the Perth one-dayer, while Matt Kuhnemann will briefly replace Adam Zampa.
The changes come as staff attempt to juggle a marquee bilateral series against India with preparations for the Ashes.
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Inglis had hoped to be fit to play through the entire white-ball series after straining his calf last month in New Zealand.
But medical staff now expect him to miss the first two ODIs, with the hope he will be fit by the series finale in Sydney on October 25.
Inglis is also part of Australia’s squad for the first two T20s against India, and would likely remain with the side for all five of those matches.
Alex Carey replaced Inglis in the recent white-ball matches in New Zealand, but officials want him to play in South Australia’s Sheffield Shield match against Queensland starting Wednesday.
That has left Philippe to come into the squad for the series opener, before Carey takes the gloves for the second ODI in Adelaide and Inglis potentially returns for the third.
Philippe enters the series in form, scoring a century for Australia A against India A in a four-day fixture last month in Lucknow.
He also struck 85 in Darwin against Sri Lanka A in July.
Kuhnemann’s call-up, meanwhile, comes as Zampa remains back in NSW with his wife close to giving birth.
The finger spinner’s last ODI was back in 2022 in Sri Lanka, with his form on that tour enough to put him in the frame for a Test debut.
The left-armer has enjoyed a rapid rise since then, to the point where he is Australia’s first option to partner Nathan Lyon on the subcontinent in Tests.
AAP