Injured Steyn ruled out for the series

South Africa have been dealt a massive blow with spearhead Dale Steyn ruled out of the remainder of the Commonwealth Bank Test series due to a fractured bone in his shoulder.

Report & Highlights: Proteas fight back on day two

Steyn left the field early on day two of the first Test in Perth after he pulled up clutching his troublesome right shoulder, which he injured last December.

He was taken to hospital for further investigations, which confirmed the extent of the injury.

"He was taken to the hospital for preliminary scans which confirmed a new fracture of the bone in the shoulder joint," Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee said.

"He will take no further part in the match (he will bat if absolutely necessary) and the series, and will return to South Africa to see a shoulder specialist who will advise on an appropriate plan of action.

"An injury of this nature is rare and will in all likelihood require surgery but that will only be confirmed once we receive an opinion from the specialist."

Steyn immediately grabbed his bowling shoulder after the fourth ball of the 13th over, and after consultation with South Africa’s senior players and medical staff, the fast bowler left the field.

He was later seen in the Proteas dressing room with his shirt off and a large ice pack on his shoulder.

Cricket South Africa have yet to decide whether they will call a replacement into their squad, with Morne Morkel and Kyle Abbott the other two pacemen in the touring party alongside first Test pace trio Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander.

Steyn, 33, injured his right shoulder in December last year in the first Test against England in Durban. He consequently missed the remainder of that series and didn’t return to Test cricket until August for the home series against New Zealand.

While the first match against the Black Caps was ruined by rain, Steyn showed he had not lost any of his venom by taking 5-33 in the second Test to seal a 204-run win.

While Steyn's absence is a major blow to South Africa, who are already without injured captain AB de Villiers, former Australia Test batsman Mike Hussey believes the tourists can still win the WACA Test and the three-match series.

"I think they can still win it, that’s for sure," Hussey told cricket.com.au. "It puts a lot of pressure on the South Africans in this particular Test match.

"The Australians, they’d be so disappointed that they didn’t bat longer (on day two) and get and get a couple more spells into the bowlers that are left.

"Losing a bowler in a Test match, particularly one like Dale Steyn, is a huge loss and it remains to be seen how much of an impact that has on the South African team the longer this Test match goes."

Steyn, with 416 wickets in 84 matches, entered the WACA Test needing six scalps to eclipse Shaun Pollock’s South African record of 421 Test wickets.