Australia's Maxwell returns home injured from IPL

Australia's Glenn Maxwell acknowledges the crowd after being dismissed for 96 against India during their One Day cricket match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, January 17, 2016. REUTERS/Hamish Blair/Files

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has suffered a side strain in the Indian Premier League and will head home to recover before the West Indies tour, Cricket Australia said on Tuesday.

Maxwell had "increasing soreness in his left abdomen area" after playing for Kings XI Punjab, CA said in a statement.

“From the information we have so far, the injury doesn’t appear to be something that will prevent Glenn from participating in this tour,  but we are keen to give him the necessary time to recover before departing to the West Indies at the end of this month,” a CA physiotherapist said.

The hard-hitting 27-year-old becomes the fifth Australia player to leave the Indian Twenty20 tournament early following the departures of captain Steve Smith, John Hastings and Mitchell and Shaun Marsh.

Australia play West Indies and South Africa in a triangular one-day international tournament starting on June 5.

(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherford)