Australia pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the Test series against West Indies and is no certainty to play in Australia's tour of New Zealand early next year as he recovers from a broken foot, the left-armer said on Monday.
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Starc limped off the field during the first day of the third and final Test against New Zealand in Adelaide and scans later confirmed he had suffered a stress fracture in his right foot.
Wearing a moonboot and walking with crutches, Starc told reporters he was reluctant to put a schedule on his recovery.
"Once I get home I'll talk to the medical staff a bit more and map it out and see what it looks like," he said when asked whether he would be fit for the two-Test return series against New Zealand in February.
"I'll be in this boot for three or four weeks depending on how it's going and probably reassess then, so there's no point putting a time stamp on it yet until the bone heals.
"Injury's always disappointing but that's part and parcel of fast bowling so it's about recovering now and healing and getting back on the horse and I guess working back on my bowling."
Australia, who sealed their three-match series 2-0 on Sunday with victory in the final Test at Adelaide Oval, play West Indies in three tests, with the first match starting in Hobart from December 10.
After limping off on day one, Starc did not bowl again in the match but managed to bat in both innings.
He blasted an important 24 runs in the first innings and then limped the final two runs needed for victory on Sunday with Peter Siddle as Australia scraped to a three-wicket win.
Starc has also been carrying an ankle injury on the same foot for most of the year, which has been managed with cortisone injections.
He said the ankle was still holding up well and ruled out having surgery on it while recovering from the break.
"Obviously my ankle's been a bit of an issue for the last six to nine months and it's actually been going ok, so it's frustrating that the foot's come up and I felt it crack that last ball.
"I had a couple more cortisones after the Perth Test so it's actually been something that's been managed quite well and it's been going better than probably expected than how it was.
"There's no point doubling up with extra time with a bit of surgery, too.
"There will be a point where (surgery) has to happen ... that's something we'll look at down the track."
