Owing to a hamstring injury, Michael Clarke has been excluded from the Australian team outbound for the ODI series against Pakistan at the beginning of October. Phil Hughes will replace him for the three-match one day series. Hughes was initially not included in the squad for the one-dayers.

Clarke injured himself during the recent tri-series tour to Zimbabwe and had to return home midway through the series as he was declared unfit to play.

Scans revealed tendon damage which complicated his recovery from the injury. The Australian Cricket Board is hoping for his recovery in time for the two-test series beginning in Dubai on October 22. He is a valuable player to miss for the test series given his ability to play spin and vast experience in this form of the game.

Clarke made his ODI debut for the national team in 2003 and Test debut in 2004. He scored centuries in both his test debut away and at home.

Clarke has played a total of 105 tests till date, captaining the side in 34 matches. He was made permanent captain of both the Australian test team and ODI team after the 2011 World Cup when Ricky Ponting stepped down from both the roles.

In the scenario that Clarke fails to recover even for the test series, then coach Darren Lehmann confirmed via Cricket Australia's official website that Brad Haddin would lead Australia in the test series. Haddin had earlier been named as vice captain of the Australian test team ahead of the UK Ashes last year.

The bilateral series starting on October 3 featuring Australia and Pakistan will include one Twenty20 game, three one-day internationals and two test matches played on the grounds of United Arab Emirates/ Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. Pakistan Cricket Board has been forced to play their home series at neutral venues since the time Sri Lanka national cricket team was attacked in Lahore in 2009.