#INDvAUS: Australia suffer devastating injury blow, star pacer sent home ahead of 3rd Test

In a huge blow to the remaining campaign of Australian team on tour of India, their star pacer Mitchell Starc is being sent home on account of a fractured foot.

On Friday, Cricket Australia made the announcement citing the team physiotherapist David Beakley's advice to the player.

"Mitchell experienced some pain in his right foot during the second Test in Bangalore which unfortunately had not subsided a few days after the Test as we had hoped. We made the decision to scan his foot in Bangalore this morning and unfortunately it has revealed a stress fracture, said Beakley in a statement.

"Subsequently, this means Mitchell will be unavailable for the remainder of the Qantas Tour of India and will return home to Australia to start his rehabilitation."

The national selection committee of Cricket Australia has not announced a replacement for Starc. But the reserve pacer Jackson Bird is the most likely candidate. 

Starc was responsible for getting Virat Kohli's wicket for a second-ball duck on day two of Pune Test. Before that, his knock of 61-runs helped Australia get a total of 260 runs as they shocked team India by winning the match by whopping 333 runs.

This Mitchell is now joining the other Mitchell (Marsh) in the injured category. It is being speculated that Stac will be back on the field before the Champions Trophy in June in the UK.

Australia will play India in Ranchi for the third Test of the series which is level at 1-1.