Wife unwell, in-form Shikhar Dhawan to skip first three India vs Australia ODIs

Shikhar Dhawan had requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India to release him from the Indian cricket team for the first three ODIs against Australia.

Shikhar Dhawan has been released from the Indian cricket team and will not play in the first three One-Day Internationals (ODI) against Australia. The opener had requested for leave to attend his wife Ayesha Mukherjee, who is unwell.

Shikhar Dhawan will miss the first three ODIs vs Australia. The five-match India vs Australia series starts in Chennai on September 17. (REUTERS)

“Team India opener Mr Shikhar Dhawan has requested to be released from the team for the first three ODIs of the Paytm Australia tour of India, 2017 to attend to his wife, who is unwell,” BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary said in a statement on Thursday.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided not to name a replacement for the left-handed batsman.

“The All-India Senior Selection Committee has decided not to name any replacement for Mr Dhawan in Indian Cricket Team,” added the statement.

Shikhar Dhawan had also not played in the fifth ODI and only Twenty20 International against Sri Lanka earlier this month in Colombo.

The left-hander has been in fine form of late, striking two centuries during the three-Test series in Sri Lanka and also an unbeaten 132 in the first ODI at Dambulla.

The first three ODIs against Australia will be held on September 17 (Chennai), 21 (Kolkata) and 24 (Indore).

Indian team for first three ODIs vs Australia: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami.