Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin Friday shocked his team ahead of their opening one-day international against the West Indies by returning home for "personal reasons." The 34-year-old has lost his one-day place to Matthew Wade, who is 10 years younger, but selector Rod Marsh this week indicated he remained first choice for the Test series, which gets under way in April.
"Brad Haddin is in transit returning to Australia for personal reasons and has the full support of Cricket Australia, the national selectors and his teammates in so doing," selector John Inverarity said in a statement. "We hope that Brad will be able to re-join the squad in the West Indies in the not too distant future." New South Wales wicket-keeper Peter Nevill will take his place and join the squad in coming days, he added.
"Peter has just completed an outstanding season with New South Wales, both with the gloves and the bat," said Inverarity in explaining the decision to pick him. Australia play the West Indies in five one-dayers and two Twenty20s starting Friday ahead of a three-Test series. Haddin played in all six home Tests against India and New Zealand this season.