“It’s obviously disappointing to be sidelined given the form I’ve been in”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Australia opener David Warner will play no further part in the ongoing ODI tri-series in the Caribbean after he broke his left index finger.
Warner suffered the injury while fielding during Australia’s 36-run win over South Africa on Saturday and it is understood that he may require surgery.
According to Australia’s team doctor Geoffrey Verrall, Warner is expected to be out of action for two to six weeks if he doesn’t need to go under the knife. Should he require surgery though, the 29-year-old will be sidelined for a longer period of time.
“The x-ray showed an intra-articular fracture of the distal phalanx of the index finger of the left hand – the top part of that finger,” Verrall said. “We will assess the situation over the coming days to see if the injury requires a surgical option but should that not be the case then David is likely to be available to return to play in somewhere between two and six weeks.”
While it is unclear whether a replacement will be brought in, Warner was unable to hide his disappointment upon being given the news.
“It’s obviously disappointing to be sidelined given the form I’ve been in and given the important stage the tri-series is at, but it’s always important to look at the positives,” he said. “This downtime, however long or short it is, will give me the chance to freshen up and spend quality time with my family after an intense period of action.”
Interim coach Justin Langer added: “It’s doubly disappointing to have David Warner sidelined because of his outstanding form plus his attitude and professionalism around the group which has been a joy to work with. But we’ve spoken from day one of this tour about every single person in the squad contributing to our success.
“I’ve encouraged the players not in the starting eleven to be ready at all times because you never know when opportunities might come. One of the boys will now get that opportunity in David’s absence.”
Meanwhile, Australia captain Steven Smith believes that the main goal in regards to Warner is to make sure he is fully fit prior to the start of the first Test against Sri Lanka, which gets underway on July 26 in Pallekele.
“The most important thing from my aspect is that he’s right for the Test series,” Smith said. “That’s still about six weeks away before the first Test. I think the medical staff and Davey are confident that he’ll be fine for that first Test match.
“It’s always tough missing players like Davey, particularly at the moment. He’s in the form of his life and batting beautifully. It’s going to be a big loss for us. I’m sure whoever steps into that position is going to do a terrific job.”