“He will now require a significant amount of time away from the game”
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Australia pace bowler Peter Siddle faces “a significant amount of time away from the game” after he was diagnosed with stress fractures in his back.
Siddle suffered the injury during the first Test against New Zealand in Wellington and was subsequently ruled out of the second and final Test in Christchurch.
During the first Test, Siddle became the eighth Australian player in Test history to score 1,000 runs and take 200 wickets, but the 31-year-old now faces an uncertain future.
“Peter returned to Melbourne on Monday and had scans following the bout of back pain he suffered during the first Test in Wellington,” Cricket Australia physiotherapist David Beakley said. “Unfortunately those scans have indicated a stress fracture in his lower back. He will now require a significant amount of time away from the game with a lengthy rehabilitation process.
“Whilst he is laid off with his current back injury, we will take the opportunity for Peter to have exploratory surgery on his left ankle to investigate and treat the cause of his ongoing ankle pain. Once that surgery is complete we will have a better idea of his prognosis and likely rehabilitation time frame.”