James Hopes to return home, Clint McKay called up

James Hopes to return home, Clint McKay called up

Australian allrounder James Hopes will not take any further part in the ongoing seven-match series in India due to a hamstring injury and is set to fly back home. Cricket Australia's selection panel has confirmed that Clint McKay , the Victoria fast bowler, will join the squad as cover.

Hopes' injury is the latest setback to the team which is currently 2-1 down with four games remaining. Hopes bowled just two overs in the first ODI in Vadodara before leaving the field after pulling his right hamstring.

"James has done everything he can with medical staff to try and make himself available for the remaining games of the tour of India," Kevin Sims, the team physiotherapist, said. "However due to the compressed nature of this tour and his speed of recovery so far, we feel now we have insufficient time to have James fully fit to take part in the remaining games of this series.

"Therefore a decision has been made that James will return to Australia where he will continue his rehabilitation from this hamstring injury."

McKay, 26, was impressive for Victoria during the Champions League Twenty20, which he finished as the tournament's joint second-highest wicket-taker (with Moises Henriques) with ten wickets at an impressive economy rate of 6 per over. In the 2007-08 FR Cup, he collected a remarkable 13 wickets at 14.76 from only five games.

"Clinton is a young promising bowler who performed well at inter-state level last season and has recent very good form for Victoria in the Champions League in India," Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said. "He will be very well suited to Indian conditions and we believe he is another young player who benefit from the experience of being in the Australian team set-up during this tour.

"We also feel he has the ability to perform well at the international level. With Moises having played in the last ODI game and James Hopes going home, Moises will now remain with the squad in India for the duration of the series."

Hopes joins Australia's strike bowler Brett Lee and wicketkeeper Tim Paine, who have already flown home after picking up injuries. Lee was unable to complete his quota of overs in Vadodara - he bowled six - after complaining of a sore right elbow.

Paine broke his finger during the second game in Nagpur and was replaced by Graham Manou. Before the series began, Australia had already lost Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Callum Ferguson and Nathan Bracken to injuries.