India lose Pandya for Australia series

India have suffered a big blow on the eve of their limited overs series against Australia, with news that star allrounder Hardik Pandya will miss the entire series with a back complaint.

The BCCI released a statement on Thursday evening that indicated that Pandya will miss the two T20 and five-game ODI series due to stiffness in his lower back.

Pandya's fitness is a big concern for India, with the allrounder expected to play a big part in their World Cup campaign in England and Wales later this year.

It's not the first time that Pandya has missed an important tour, with the 25-year-old sent home from the limited overs series in Australia earlier this year due to controversial comments he made about women on a TV show.

Pandya will undergo strength and conditioning work on his lower back at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and is expected to make a full recovery.

Veteran Ravi Jadeja will act as Pandya's replacement for the five ODIs, while India will use just 14 players for the two-game T20 series.

The first T20 match of the series is in Visakhapatnam on Sunday.

Qantas tour of India

First T20: February 24, Visakhapatnam

Second T20: February 27, Bengaluru

First ODI: March 2, Hyderabad

Second ODI: March 5, Nagpur

Third ODI: March 8, Ranchi

Fourth ODI: March 10, Mohali

Fifth ODI: March 13, Delhi