Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has confirmed that he will be missing the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against India as he continues to battle a finger injury.
Starc suffered an injury on the finger of his left hand in the Boxing Day Test against South Africa and subsequently missed the last game of the series.
During the Cricket Australia's awards, when the host asked the Starc about his fitness, the speedster said: "I am on track... still a couple of weeks and then probably meet the guys in Delhi... after... hopefully, a first Test match win... get myself into training over there."
The first Test is scheduled to take place in Nagpur from February 9-13, and the second in New Delhi from February 17-21. Besides Starc, Cameron Green is also carrying a finger problem since the Boxing Day Test victory over Proteas.
However, Australian coach Andrew McDonald said Green would be given every chance to prove his fitness ahead of the series opener. "He hasn't been ruled out," McDonald was quoted as saying.
"We just want to make sure we set up all our players up for success and there isn't much time left from now to the four-week check-in around his finger to the start of that test match. We'll see how he goes in the build-up and make that decision when we get on the ground in India."