Blow For Australia As Star Player Sustains Calf Injury Ahead Of Sydney Test

Australia's batting depth took a hit as back-up keeper-batter Josh Inglis will be unavailable for the final Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against India due to injury, according to ICC. Inglis injured his calf while sub-fielding on the second day of the fourth Test at the MCG, with a Cricket Australia spokesperson confirming the 29-year-old will be sidelined for the final clash of the India series in Sydney. Australia will name a replacement for Inglis prior to the fifth Test which will start on January 3, while the hosts are confident he will be available for next month's tour of Sri Lanka that includes two Tests as part of the ICC World Test Championship series.

"Josh Inglis sustained a low-grade calf strain while fielding on day two of the fourth Test match against India and will leave the squad to undergo rehabilitation. A replacement in the squad for the fifth Test match in Sydney will be announced in due course. Inglis is anticipated to be available for Australia's tour of Sri Lanka which follows the home Test Series," Cricket Australia's statement was quoted by ICC as saying.

While Inglis is yet to make his Test debut, he has played more than 50 white-ball matches for Australia and was a key member of the team that won the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India last year.

Good form at the domestic level has seen Inglis' Test stocks rise and the right-hander is in contention for his first cap in Melbourne before star batter Travis Head proved his fitness for the match.

Currently, the ongoing BGT series level at 1-1, both sides will be playing the much-anticipated Boxing Day Test intending to secure an all-important series lead needed to push a case for the ICC World Test Championship final.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)