Molineux Ruled Out of India Series, West Indies Tour in Doubt
Australia captain Sophie Molineux is facing a race against time to be fit for the upcoming tour of the West Indies after being ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing multi-format series against India with lower back soreness.
The injury news came as a major blow ahead of the second ODI against India in Hobart. Molineux experienced discomfort following the opening ODI in Brisbane and has since been withdrawn as a precaution.
Australia’s squad is scheduled to depart for the Caribbean in mid-March, where Molineux had been set to lead the side across formats for the first time. National selector Shawn Flegler expressed cautious optimism about her recovery.
“Sophie’s developed a bit of lower back pain over the last few days,” Flegler told Channel 7. “So unfortunately that means she’s going to miss the rest of the series and we’ll look towards her being available for the West Indies series coming up. We don’t want to take any risks with the T20 World Cup coming up.
“She’s still right to bat, still right to run, but it’s just the bowling that she’s got a little bit of pain at the moment. We’ll get her scanned and then we’ll have to offload her for a little while. That’s why we don’t want to take any chances with the next few matches.”
If Molineux is unavailable for the West Indies tour, joint vice-captains Ashleigh Gardner or Tahlia McGrath are likely to step into the leadership role. McGrath, who was overlooked for the entire T20I series against India, was named vice-captain for the second ODI in Molineux’s absence.
With veteran skipper Alyssa Healy nearing the final stages of her career, Molineux had recently been elevated into a leadership role. She was appointed vice-captain for the ODI leg and one-off Test against India after gaining her first experience as captain during the T20I series.
Molineux’s latest setback adds to a challenging run with injuries. She spent much of last year sidelined with a knee injury, and her recurring fitness concerns had made her an unexpected contender to succeed Healy as Australia’s long-term all-format captain.
“The Sophie Molineux news today was a bit of a shock for everyone and a disappointing one for her,” Healy said on Fox Cricket.
Australia’s injury concerns extend beyond Molineux. Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth have both been ruled out of the ODI series with quad strains. Their availability for the Test match at the WACA starting March 6 remains uncertain.
With the T20 World Cup on the horizon, Australia’s medical staff are expected to take a cautious approach as they manage a growing list of key players battling fitness issues.