Bollinger, Hussey to return home

Australia fast bowler Doug Bollinger and middle-order batsman Michael Hussey will return to Australia prior to the third ODI against India in Goa on October 24.

Hussey is being sent back to play Western Australia's Sheffield Shield match against South Australia, while Bollinger's return is to help the rehabilitation of his abdominal strain, which has kept him on the bench since the first Test in Mohali.

"Doug reported some minor discomfort to his abdomen during his rehabilitation from the previous injury," Australia physio Kevin Sims said. "We do not think the new issue is serious, however it will prevent him from achieving the workloads necessary for him to be available for selection in the third ODI in Goa. Therefore we have decided it is in his best interests to return to Australia for further assessment and to outline further rehabilitation. Doug's return-to-cricket date will be finalised following this assessment."

The decision to send Hussey home is to help manage his workload in the lead-up to a packed home summer, which includes the Ashes. Hussey struggled for form in the India Tests, managing 99 runs in four innings with a highest score of 34. He was fluent in the second ODI in Visakhapatnam, scoring an assured 69 in Australia's defeat, but the board thought a four-day fixture following some rest would help him more than another one-dayer in conditions different to those he will encounter at home during the coming months.

"As part of the ongoing individual workload management ahead of an exciting Australian summer and the World Cup in the subcontinent, Michael Hussey will not play in the third one-day game in India and will return home to Australia," Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said. "Michael will have a few days off and then resume cricket in the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and WA commencing on 29 October at Adelaide Oval."

Both players had joined the squad in India late after fulfilling their Champions League commitments for the Chennai Super Kings in South Africa.