Michael Neser to miss Pakistan tour due to side strain, Mark Steketee named replacement

Australia will be touring Pakistan for an all-format bilateral series starting March four and the Aussies would be visiting the neighboring country for the first time since the 1998/99 season. The visitors announced their squad for the three-match Test series last week with pacer Pat Cummins leading them from the front and batting mainstay Steve Smith appointed as his deputy. Meanwhile, an injury concern has put the current top-ranked Test side in a spot of bother just a couple of weeks prior to the opening Test.

Pacer Michael Neser has suffered a side strain injury and will not be taking part in the Test series against Pakistan. Neser suffered the injury during a Marsh One-Day Cup match in Brisbane on Monday and reportedly, it is unclear as to when he will return back in action. The South Africa-born cricketer has only made a solitary Test appearance for Australia so far which happened to be during the second Ashes Test against arch-rivals England at the Adelaide Oval.

An injury forces Michael Naser to miss the Pakistan Test series

Michael Naser was all geared up to make the ball do the talking on Pakistan soil as Australia eye Test dominance in Asia with effect from the upcoming bilateral series. The 31-year-old was looking to get into the groove with some impressive performances in the domestic competition. However, a sudden setback forced him to walk off the field.

Neser injured himself while he was warming up to bowl during the innings break of Queensland and NSW. The Pretoria pacer seemed to be in some discomfort but, tried his level best to continue bowling and in fact, did manage to bowl a couple of deliveries. The second one turned out to be a wide ball after which the bowler left the field and could take no further part in the contest. He has now been replaced by the uncapped Queensland quick Mark Steketee.

Heading into the Pakistan Test series, Australia apart from Naser are already short of a pacer. Promising speedster Jhye Richardson will be missing next month’s red-ball series. He has been rested as a part of the team’s workload management.