Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell among 8 top Australian players likely to miss West Indies, Bangladesh tours

Australia are likely to field a second-string side against the West Indies and Bangladesh, with eight top players including Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell considering pulling out of the tours.

According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, apart from Smith and Maxwell, David Warner, Pat Cummins, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson and Riley Meredith are also doubtful to play for various reasons.

While some are reportedly dealing with the mental toll of extended quarantine periods, others are battling physical issues. All eight players participated in IPL 2021 and their decision to pull out of the upcoming tours might also imperil their return to the resumed season in September.

Cricket Australia (CA) selection chief Trevor Hons recently spoke to all the players in the original 23-man squad. He said the players' "recent experiences abroad" and bubble fatigue has impacted their wellbeing. Hons said in a statement:

“During the course of those discussions, it has become clear that recent experiences abroad, including but not limited to extended periods in bio-secure hubs and hard quarantine, have had an impact on the health and wellbeing of some players and their families. CA has maintained that the wellbeing of players, staff and officials is a top priority, and never more so than during the COVID-19 pandemic given the extraordinary challenges it has placed upon international athletes and sporting teams.”

Australia are likely to take an extremely depleted touring party to the West Indies and Bangladesh with Steve Smith one of a host of leading players considering pulling out of the white-ball series https://t.co/XNonSxoYrS

— The Age Sport (@theagesport) June 9, 2021

Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye and Kane Richardson left the IPL 2021 season midway in the wake of the COVID-19 situation in India. Many Australians, including David Warner, have been vocal about their worrying experiences of playing in the country amid rising cases.

Australia added 6 new players to the initial squad

The National Selection Panel has added Ben McDermott, Dan Christian, Cameron Green, Ashton Turner, Wes Agar and Nathan Ellis to the preliminary list of players for the Qantas Australian men’s white ball tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh.MORE | https://t.co/b01CBo9bSH pic.twitter.com/ZcLkI31tcF

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) June 8, 2021

Australia also added six new faces to the initial squad - Dan Christian, Cameron Green, Ashton Turner, Wes Agar, Nathan Ellis, and Ben McDermott - to make up for the eight doubtful players. The lineup, now 29-man strong, will be trimmed in the coming days.

Australia's tour of the Caribbean will include five T20Is and three ODIs, beginning on July 10, followed by five T20Is in Bangladesh in August. The tours are being considered crucial preparations for Australian players ahead of the T20 World Cup.