NZ vs AUS 2025: Australia announces T20I squad for New Zealand tour, Inglis out due to calf strain

Published - 19 Sept 2025, 09:34 IST | Updated - 19 Sept 2025, 09:47 IST

Australia’s wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis has been ruled out with a calf injury, making him unavailable for the T20I series against New Zealand. Alex Carey, who has been drafted in as a replacement, will don the gloves in the three-match series, which begins on October 1 in Mount Maunganui.

Inglis suffered the injury during a running session in Perth earlier this week, and subsequent scans confirmed the strain. This is the second calf problem for the 29-year-old in less than a year, following the strain he picked up while fielding in the Boxing Day Test against India last December. His injury adds to a growing list of absentees for Australia, who are already without skipper Pat Cummins (lumbar bone stress), Cameron Green (Sheffield Shield commitments ahead of the Ashes), and Nathan Ellis (awaiting the birth of his first child).

Australia’s selectors had not named a back-up wicketkeeper in the initial 14-member squad. His injury, therefore, has forced an urgent replacement. Carey, who was scheduled to play South Australia’s Sheffield Shield opener on October 4, has now been pulled back into the national set-up.

Meanwhile, Inglis, who has become an important figure in the white-ball set-up with two T20I centuries at No. 3, was expected to play a crucial role bridging the top order of Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head with a powerful middle order featuring Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, and Tim David. Notably, the cricketer has been managing recurring back spasms, which he admitted earlier this year have impacted his preparation. At the same time, he is expected to regain his fitness in time for the ODI series against India, which begins on October 19 in Perth.

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Carey last kept wickets in the format back in 2020 before filling in for Inglis during the South Africa series in August this year. Though his batting numbers are decent, his recent ODI form—including a match-saving half-century against India in the Champions Trophy has given a green signal.