Watson, Johnson return home before last ODI

Mumbai:

Worried with the workload of frontline pacer Mitchell Johnson and in-form all-rounder Shane Watson, Cricket Australia on Tuesday asked the duo to return home immediately to have adequate rest before a busy summer ahead.

National Selection Panel chief Andrew Hilditch said he and his colleagues consulted medical and coaching staff and "the NSP has decided Mitchell and Shane will depart India as soon as possible."

"Mitchell and Shane will return home to Australia to commence preparation for the 3 mobile Test series beginning in Brisbane on 26 November and the programme that follows," Hilditch said in a statement.

The NSP Chairman said the decision was taken in view of the extremely heavy workload shouldered by the duo since the Twenty20 World Cup in May 2009 and with the imminent start of the Australian summer which includes six Test matches in eight weeks, ODI and Twenty20 series against the West Indies and Pakistan and a tour to New Zealand early next year.

Already, five Australian players - Brett Lee, James Hopes, Tim Paine, Moises Henriques and Peter Siddle - have returned home after picking up injuries during the course of the ongoing ODI series which the visitors have sealed in their favour.