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Scans reveal early stage stress fracture in Starc's right foot after he was forced off the field for treatment during the first day's play of the day-night Test on Friday
It was an historic and largely successful day for Steve Smith's Australians at the Adelaide Oval, but any sense of satisfaction will have been soured by the news of a potentially serious injury to ace paceman Mitchell Starc.
Starc had scans after play and has been diagnosed with an early stage stress fracture in the third metatarsal on his right foot.
"He will bat if required but will not bowl again in the Test, and the injury has put an immediate cloud over his involvement in the upcoming three-Test series against the West Indies, starting December 10 in Hobart," said Cricket Australia on its website.
The 25-year-old took 3-24 from nine overs on day one and looked in peak form with the pink ball, but just moments after knocking over Mitchell Santner to claim his third scalp he pulled up in his post-delivery stride, and left the field a short time later.
The left-arm quick was seen on crutches as the players headed across the ground and towards the team bus around an hour after stumps.
"It's obviously very disappointing," fellow quick Peter Siddle said of the injury news. "He was bowling so well and has been bowling well for a very long time.
"You never want one of your team-mates to go down, especially so early on, (but) we've got enough bowling in our line-up anyway to take the 10 wickets required, so I think we'll be fine.
"But it's very disappointing for him. He has been on fire and I think he showed that again today – even with a bit of pain, he could get the job done and get those few breakthroughs for us in the middle order.
Fast-bowling legend Glenn McGrath was less optimistic, suggesting the prognosis was a concerning one for both Starc and Australia, particularly given the form of the left-armer and the recent departure of Mitchell Johnson.
"When you've got a guy bowling that pace, (as) an attacking bowler, he picked up three wickets again today for not many runs, it's a huge loss for Australia, especially considering Mitchell Johnson retired last week," McGrath told Cricket Australia.
"So fingers crossed it's not too bad, but he's going to be out for a while."
Initial fears for Starc centred upon his troublesome right ankle, given his recent history of bone spurs and the decision he made to postpone surgery and avoid an extensive lay-off across the middle of an Australian summer that effectively includes eight Tests, with two in New Zealand in February.
At this stage it's unclear, if unclear if those bone spurs have in any way impinged on the metatarsal bone, with further news expected out of the Australian camp on Saturday.