Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc are out of the South Africa tour due to injuries

Australian sensations Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc will miss the limited-overs tour of South Africa for injuries but are expected to be fit for the ODI series in India ahead of the World Cup. Pat Cummins is recovering from a wrist fracture suffered during the Ashes in England, while Smith is nursing a tendon injury on his left wrist. Starc is facing "groin soreness" since returning from the UK where he played in the WTC final. Both will miss the three T20Is in South Africa from August 30 to September 3, which will be followed by five ODIs from September 7 to 17. Mitchell Marsh will take on the ODI captaincy to go with the leadership of the T20 side for the matches against the Proteas.

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The pair will return for the three-match ODI series against India beginning on September 22. Starc played a crucial role in Australia's 2-1 ODI series victory against India in March. Australia has included tall left-arm quick Spencer Johnson, who is a member of the T20I side, and the ODI squad for South Africa as well.

"The compacted Ashes series and the World Test Championship was a heavy load for the group, and we are taking a conservative approach in the build-up to the World Cup," said Australia's chairman of the national selection panel, George Bailey.

"With the World Cup (from October 5) the priority of the squad, it was determined on advice that it was best for Steve (Smith) and Mitchell (Marsh) to join the group in India by which time we expect them to be fully fit and available for the Indian ODI series, plus the World Cup warm-up fixture," Bailey added.