Starc in injury repeat

AUSTRALIA has suffered a major setback ahead of this year’s Ashes, with Mitchell Starc to miss the Test tour of Bangladesh because of the same foot injury that had forced him to return home in March from India.

Australia named a 13-man squad for the two-Test series that starts on August 27.

Steve O’Keefe was discarded in favour of fellow left-arm spinner Ashton Agar, while allrounder Hilton Cartwright and paceman James Pattinson were recalled.

O’Keefe’s international career is likely to be over despite a starring role in Australia’s breakthrough Test win in India, with selectors making it clear they want to look to the future after dumping the 32-year-old.

Shaun Marsh wasn’t included in the squad, meaning a return for Usman Khawaja to the Test XI, but the most notable omission was Starc.

The left-armer missed the third and fourth Tests against India earlier this year because of a stress fracture in his right foot. The 27-year-old returned from the injury earlier this month during the Champions Trophy, already prompting questions on why he was rushed back for the one-day tournament.

“Mitchell was due to go for follow-up scans after the Champions Trophy, as part of his recovery plan. These scans have indicated his previous stress fracture has still not fully healed to the extent we would like,” team physio David Beakely said.

“He will now undertake a period of rest from bowling with the aim to have him return for the one-day series in India in late September as he begins his Ashes build-up.”

Selectors will add another paceman to the Bangladesh touring party after next month’s Australia A series in South Africa. AUSTRALIA’S 13-MAN TEST SQUAD FOR BANGLADESH: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright, Matthew Wade, Pat Cummins, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar.