Australia have been dealt with a blow before the series against South Africa, with Glenn Maxwell, ruled out due to an injury. The all-rounder is set to undergo surgery on his left elbow to remove bone fragments, the board confirmed on Wednesday. The board also added that left-handed Short will replace the all-rounder in the squad for the series against South Africa, starting 21 February. The operation, however, is set to sideline him for six to eight weeks, confirmed Cricket Australia, which means that Maxwell could miss out from IPL opener for Kings XI Punjab.

The South Africa series would have been the first time that the all-rounder made a comeback to the national setup following his break due to mental health.  Short’s 357 runs in the BBL has seen him picked ahead of Marcus Stoinis, who is slated to be the backup opener for the series. Alongside his batting prowess, the ability to bowl in the middle overs has tilted the decision in Short’s favour.

Maxwell, too, added that it would have been difficult for the all-rounder to perform in the series with the pain in his elbow. This prompted the all-rounder to undergo surgery straight away to fix the issue. 

"I was not confident that I could perform at international level with my elbow in its current state and have decided to undergo surgery straight away to fix the issue," Maxwell said in a statement, reported Cricket Australia.