Steve Smith to miss ODI series against England due to 'very minor' thigh strain

Australian batsman Steve Smith will reportedly miss the five-game one-day international (ODI) series against England after he was flown to Australia early from the tour because of a thigh strain.

According to BBC, Smith suffered the injury during a training session on Wednesday.

Describing the injury as 'very minor', Cricket Australia (CA) stated that the national selection panel has decided it is best for Smith to return to Australia given that he had played in a very demanding Ashes series.

According to the report, no replacement has been called up by Australia for Smith, who scored an unbeaten 138 at The Oval and two half-centuries during the Ashes series and had also picked up four wickets at 26.50 runs apiece as an occasional leg-spinner.

The Twenty20 international series, the first of which was won by Australia by 39 runs on Thursday, will conclude on Saturday in Chester-le-Street, following which the tourists will play Scotland in a one-off ODI and England in the five-game series, the report added.