Teen pace bowling star Patrick Cummins will miss most of Australia's home test series against India after being diagnosed with a bone stress injury in his heel.
The injury sustained by Cummins in his exciting debut in last month's second test against South Africa was first thought to be just heel pad bruising.
But fresh scans have revealed a bone stress problem.
Sore after his seven-wicket debut in Johannesburg, 18-year-old Cummins was rested from last week's first test against New Zealand at the Gabba after initial scans confirmed a heel fat pad injury.
He was then also omitted from this week's second test against the Kiwis in Hobart.
"By the end of last week it was apparent to all of us managing him that he was progressing slower than expected for a soft tissue injury of the heel," said Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris.
"As such we arranged for him to see a foot specialist and had further scans that have identified a bone component to his injury, that was not evident on the original scans.
"We now believe that Patrick has a bone stress injury as well as the fat pad injury."
Kountouris said Cummins was not likely to resume bowling until early to mid-January 2012.
That means he won't be available to return to the test arena before at least the third test against India at the WACA from January 13-17 and more likely the fourth test at Adelaide Oval from January 24-28.
Cricket Australia's team performance general manager Pat Howard said: "The medical staff took a decision that Patrick's recovery versus previous scans did not seem consistent and proactively made the decision that further scans were required.
"These scans have revealed a bone stress injury which pushes out his recovery by a few weeks.
"This wasn't picked up in the initial scans done in South Africa.
"Unfortunately this, when combined with Patrick's young age to reprepare for test cricket, means that he will miss much of the Indian series."
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