Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will miss the upcoming tour to South Africa to undergo elbow surgery. The cricketer had complained of acute pain in his right elbow after the Big Bash League finals and sought the help of a specialist in Melbourne this week. Scans revealed loose fragments of bone in his elbow joint, which means that Maxwell will now have to undergo immediate surgery on Thursday. He will require at least six to eight weeks of rest, and could potentially also miss a few games in the Indian Premier League.
All-rounder D’Arcy Short replaces him in the 20-over and the ODI team.
“We are disappointed to lose Glenn this close to the tour as we were looking forward to welcoming him back to the national side in both the 20- and 50-over formats after his break during the summer,” national selector Trevor Hohns said.
“Unfortunately, the pain he has experienced in the elbow in the latter stages of the BBL increased over the weekend and he will have surgery immediately to rectify the situation.
“An opportunity has now presented itself for D’Arcy and we’re confident he’ll make the most of whatever opportunities come his way in South Africa. Like Glenn, D’Arcy is an inventive, hard-hitting batsman who offers a handy spin-bowling option. We have no doubt he will make a positive contribution to the squad.”
Maxwell, who had taken a mental health break in October last year stated that was disappointed to miss out of the upcoming tour to the Rainbow Nation. “Representing Australia is the highest honour in cricket and something I cherish,” Maxwell said.
“I was not confident that I could perform at the international level with my elbow in its current state and have decided to undergo surgery straight away to fix the issue.
“I would like to thank Justin Langer, Ben Oliver, Trevor Hohns and the whole Australian squad for their understanding.”