Melbourne, Sep 11: Australia A have suffered another blow ahead of their multi-format tour of India with allrounder Aaron Hardie sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Hardie injured his left shoulder at state training last Friday and is expected to be sidelined for around a month.

"Hardie will complete targeted rehabilitation in Perth over the coming weeks with potential for return play early in the Sheffield Shield season," Cricket Australia said in a statement.

Allrounder Will Sutherland, who was already part of the Australia A squad for three 50-over matches that follow in Kanpur, has been called up for the second red-ball match in Lucknow beginning on September 23.

Hardie has been a consistent presence in Australia’s senior white-ball teams over the past two years, featuring in 15 ODIs and 16 T20 internationals. In the T20 series against the West Indies in July, which Australia won 5-0, he contributed with scores of 23 and an unbeaten 28, along with three wickets across two matches. He also played in two ODIs and one T20 against South Africa last month.

The right-handed all-rounder missed part of last summer’s season due to a lingering quad injury but made a comeback in February, helping Australia A secure an innings win over England Lions by taking three wickets in the second innings.

Sutherland meanwhile comes into the 'A' series following a productive northern summer for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast where he hit 208 runs with a top score of 58 and took 10 wickets in his 12 games.

The 25-year-old also played two first-class matches during his county stint, taking three wickets against Sussex before returning to Australia to lead the Renegades in the Top End T20 tournament in Darwin.

Australia A had already been hit by injuries in the build-up to the series against India, with the side previously losing Lance Morris and Callum Vidler.

(IANS)

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