WA all-rounder Aaron Hardie will miss an upcoming Australia A tour of India due to injury.

The West Australian understands Hardie will not make a trip to the subcontinent with the developmental side for three 50-over games later this month due to a minor knee problem.

WA’s newly-appointed Sheffield Shield captain is now aiming to be available as a specialist batsman for the side’s first four-day game of the season, against Queensland at the WACA Ground on October 8.

Hardie was appointed to head up the State’s red-ball team in May, succeeding two-time shield-winning captain Sam Whiteman.

If the 27-year-old is passed fit to take on the Bulls, his inclusion would be a significant boost for a side which will be without Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis due to their selection in the Test squad for next month’s tour of South Africa.

WA’s white-ball captain Ashton Turner, who did not feature for the shield team at all last season, is in the frame to make a return after scoring a stunning century in a two-day intrasquad practice game at the WACA Ground last week.

Hardie has played 33 senior white-ball games for Australia, in which he has scored 360 runs and taken 25 wickets.

He returned to the Twenty20 international side for a tour of Bangladesh in June, while his most recent One-Day International appearance came against South Africa in August of last year.

Emerging speedster Mahli Beardman was the other Sandgroper selected in the initial Australia A white-ball squad, while fast bowler Jhye Richardson and off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli are in line to play a pair of preceding four-day matches.

WA will begin their domestic season with a One-Day Cup clash with South Australia at the WACA on Friday, after which they will host Tasmania for another 50-over game on Sunday.