Manou profits from Paine injury

Tim Paine broke his right ring finger during the early stages of Australia's 99-run defeat by India in Nagpur yesterday

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Australia wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Paine has been forced to return home from the tour of India after breaking a finger during the second one-day international.

He sustained the injury taking a Peter Siddle bouncer in the eighth over of the match in Nagpur, which India won by 99 runs, but continued behind the stumps and batted in his customary position at the top of the order, albeit making only eight.

Graham Manou has been called up to replace Paine, with first-choice wicketkeeper Brad Haddin only recently recovered from a broken finger of his own.

National selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch said: “Graham Manou is travelling to India tonight and will be available for selection for the next game.

“Graham richly deserves this opportunity following his Ashes debut and his successful domestic season last year in all forms of the game.

“After extensive discussions with Cricket Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris and Brad Haddin, it was considered it is premature for Brad to resume cricket for Australia, having not played first-class cricket since the Oval Ashes Test.

“It is expected Brad will make a return to first-class cricket this weekend as the first stage of his preparation for a return to cricket for Australia.”

Surprise call-ups are becoming a matter of course for 30-year-old Manou, who made his Test debut against England after Haddin broke a finger on the morning of the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston this summer.

“I think nerves are good but I guess having that experience will hold me in good stead,” he said.

“Being a different format of the game, I’ll certainly need to get my head around that on the flight but it's probably a little bit better than five minutes notice, that’s for sure.”

The third game of the seven-match series, which is tied at 1-1, takes place at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi on Saturday.