Johannesburg - Australia opener David Warner has been ruled out for rest of the tour of the West Indies due to a fractured finger and will return home to nurse the injury ahead of the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka.
Warner copped a blow to the tip of his left index finger during Australia's 36-run victory over South Africa in St Kitts on Sunday and subsequent x-rays have revealed the digit to be fractured.
Even if the injury doesn't require surgery, Warner will be out for around 2 to 6 weeks and he will return home to Australia sometime in the next week.
With a lengthy tour of Sri Lanka beginning on July 26, ahead of a tour of South Africa and the international summer of cricket, Cricket Australia have taken a cautious approach with one of their best and most consistent players.
“He's in the form of his life and batting beautifully, so it's obviously going to be a big loss for us,” said captain Steve Smith. “But I'm sure whoever's going to step into that position is going to do a terrific job and hopefully we can continue the success we've had so far in the series. The most important thing is that he's right for the Test series (against Sri Lanka). I think the medical staff and Davey are confident he'll be fine for that first Test match.”
The results of Warner's x-rays will be examined more closely over the next few days before a final decision on his treatment is made. “We will assess the situation over the coming days to see if the injury requires a surgical option,” said team doctor Geoffrey Verrall.
It remains to be seen if a replacement player will be summoned to the West Indies, but with just two weeks left in the series and a 16-man squad already in the Caribbean that seems unlikely, especially given the long travel time.
Warner said he would use the enforced break to refresh after an extended period on the road. “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, with a home summer that was followed by trips to New Zealand and South Africa, plus the World Twenty20 and the Indian Premier League.”
Having posted a match-winning 109 in St Kitts, Warner was forced from the field during the Proteas' unsuccessful run chase after he injured his finger attempting to snaffle a catch at backward point.
Australia sit atop of the tri-series standings ahead of their match against the West Indies on Tuesday. - African News Agency (ANA)