The Melbourne Stars have signed New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne for a pre-Christmas stint ahead of the Big Bash League (BBL) 2024-25 season. Milne has been signed as a replacement for Pakistan's Usama Mir, as the later will miss the first three matches of the tournament. The Melbourne Stars will also reveal their new captain as Glenn Maxwell stepped down from the post. He will miss the first match against Perth Scorchers on December 15 due to his hamstring injury. His uncertainty too was another reason for the Stars to sign Milne. Milne has earlier played Sydney Thunder in the 2020-21 season, took five wickets in 12 matches with an economy rate of 7.56. The Stars have most of their players assigned to international duty. Scott Boland and Beau Webster are traveling with the Australian team for the Broder Gavaskar Trophy. England's Ben Duckett is on Test duty in New Zealand. Read also: Ben Sawyer Reappointed as New Zealand Women's Head Coach Milne to fill Boland's absence Blair Crouch, Melbourne Stars General Manager, expressed enthusiasm about Milne's addition, noting his familiarity with Australian conditions and his potential impact on the team. He said, "To be able to secure someone of Adam's talent and experience is a huge boost for the squad for the first three games. Adam knows Australian conditions well, we value what he will add to the squad and we look forward to seeing what he can produce." Milne is expected to fill Bolland's gap. On the other hand, Joe Clarke will replace Duckett, making his return to the squad after two seasons with the Stars.