10 January,2009 12:22 PM IST | | PTI
Luke Ronchi has replaced an over-burdened Brad Haddin in Australia's team for the two Twenty20 international matches against South Africa at the MCG and Gabba, Cricket Australia announced today.
The National Selection Panel said Haddin's workload was being managed following his involvement in Australia's tour of India and the Test series against New Zealand and South Africa.
"Given the high intensity of Twenty20 cricket and the upcoming schedule of one-day international matches, it was decided that this was an appropriate time to manage Brad's workload with his and the Australian team's long-term interests in mind," said NSP Chairman Andrew Hilditch in a statement.
"It now provides a deserved opportunity for Luke Ronchi to come back into the Australian squad after he impressed in the West Indies last year," he said.
Hilditch informed that as per the CA policy Haddin was assessed yesterday after he arrived in Melbourne and it was decided to rest him.
"Brad arrived in Melbourne yesterday feeling the effects of his heavy workload over the past three months which has included consecutive Test series against India, New Zealand and South Africa.
"In accordance with our policy of managing the workloads of players involved in all three forms of the game, it was decided that he would benefit from not playing in the two T20 internationals," he said.
"Despite being initially selected in the squad, we wanted to assess Brad once he had arrived in Melbourne after playing five tough days of Test cricket in Sydney, and before that, equally as tough matches in Perth and Melbourne," he added.
