Maxwell latest victim of IPL injury

Allrounder Glenn Maxwell has become the latest Australian to return home early from the Indian Premier League nursing an injury ahead of next months' Qantas Tour of the West Indies.

Maxwell, who plays with the Kings XI Punjab, has a side strain. He joins Steve Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh and John Hastings to have left the Indian T20 tournament early.

Cricket Australia's Bupa Support Team Physiotherapist David Beakley said: "Glenn reported increasing soreness in his left abdomen area following last night's match and as such a decision was made for him to return home for further assessment and treatment ahead of the West Indies tour.

"From the information we have so far, the injury doesn’t appear to be something that will prevent Glenn from participating in this tour,  but we are keen to give him the necessary time to recover before departing to the West Indies at the end of this month."

Maxwell had scored two half-centuries this season, with a highest score of 68, but averaged less than 20 in his 11 matches. He scored 179 runs at 19.88 but had a strike rate of 144.35. Kings XI have won four of their 12 matches and are out of play-off contention.

Smith and Mitch Marsh – who were teammates at the Rising Pune Supergiants – are expected to be fully fit to play in the ODI tri-series against the West Indies and South Africa, which begins on June 3.

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Australia's first match is against the home side in Guyana on June 5, in a series that will be the first to be played entirely in the day-night format.

Smith had been managing an ongoing wrist injury and had been doing it quite well given his final three scores in the competition were 46 not out, 101 and 45.

Marsh's setback was a side strain but scans confirmed it was a minor issue.

The touring party flies out on May 27, leaving Smith and Marsh with limited time to recover from their respective concerns.

The obvious temptation would be to rest both players from a series that isn't as important as the ensuing Test tour of Sri Lanka.

But coach Darren Lehmann reiterated earlier this year that players wouldn't be ordered to miss games haphazardly.

"We'll pick the side to win every series as we normally do," Lehmann said.

Lehmann will temporarily hand the reins over to Justin Langer for the trip, with Cricket Australia (CA) wanting to give the mentor a break from a relentless schedule.

Those members of the ODI squad not taking part in the IPL will head to Brisbane later this month to shake off the rust at CA's training centre.

John Hastings (ankle) and Shaun Marsh (back) both suffered injuries during the IPL and won't be part of the upcoming tri-series.

Hastings' injury required surgery and he was replaced in the touring party by Victoria teammate Scott Boland, while Marsh wasn't part of the original squad because of the impending birth of his first child. It is presently unknown if Hastings will be fit enough to be considered for selection for the Sri Lanka tour that follows the Caribbean tri-series.

The Australians have been joined on the injured list by fellow internationals Kevin Pietersen and Faf du Plessis. The South Africans made it four internationals from Pune who had fallen victim to injury. The injury opened the door for Australians Usman Khawaja and George Bailey to make late appearances in the IPL. 

Australia squad for the Qantas Tour of the West Indies: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), George Bailey, Scott Boland, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa