Inglis racing the clock for South Africa Tests after finger blow

Josh Inglis' knack of suffering ill-timed injuries has struck again with the wicketkeeper under a cloud for the South Africa Test series after fracturing a finger in Thursday's first ODI.

Inglis was ruled out of the final two 50-over matches after breaking his right index finger while keeping in Durban. He saw out the rest of the innings behind the stumps and batted in his usual spot at No.4, making 3 off 8 balls before becoming one of six victims to left-arm spin when he was caught reverse-sweeping.

But the more heartbreaking impact for the 31-year-old could be missing the three-Test series against the Proteas, in which he stood a legitimate chance of adding to his five caps as a specialist bat. "I'll bat wherever they ask me to," he said last week when asked if he was open to batting in an unfamiliar spot in the top three.

Cricket Australia's statement said Inglis, Australia's first-choice white-ball gloveman and the back-up to Alex Carey in the Test squad, would return home to Perth for medical scans "with his availability for the three-match Test series subject to further assessment and progress".

No replacement in the ODI has been named. Australia have games in Johannesburg (Sunday) and Potchefstroom (Wednesday) to come.

Inglis missed the 2022 T20 World Cup after a golf club snapped in his hand, badly cutting it his palm. He has more recently battled back spasms, while he also suffered multiple calf strains last year.

From an ODI perspective, Carey is the immediate beneficiary and will take the gloves after he lost his spot as a specialist batter this week when Cameron Green returned for Australia's 67-run defeat at Kingsmead.

The loss of Inglis for an Australian ODI side down 0-1 in the series is considerable after he appeared to solidify his spot at No.4 with a match-winning 102 against Zimbabwe last week.

"We just play a lot of T20 cricket now and I think it's just me finding the right tempo for one-day cricket," he said in Harare after posting his second ODI hundred. "I sort of found that, playing in a slightly different role with a younger team.

"I've probably got to take some more responsibility batting at number four.

"I think ODI cricket is probably closer to red ball than T20. I just find my natural game is that higher tempo. I can do both … but I've just got to do that a bit more consistently. Just take a bit more care earlier on in my innings."

Australia will almost certainly need a replacement for the Test squad if Inglis' injury is severe enough to rule him out of the series that begins in a fortnight.

None of the likely candidates elevated their cases in the first Australia A four-dayer against India A this week. Only Jason Sangha and fast bowler Fergus O'Neill topped 35 runs in the 162-run loss in Puducherry.

Among those who have batted more than twice in the top four over the past three Sheffield Shield seasons, Sangha, Jack Clayton and Kurtis Patterson are the only men averaging more than 40 among the available options.

Nathan McSweeney, Sam Konstas, Campbell Kellaway and Peter Handscomb batted in the top four for Australia A this week. McSweeney's second-innings 35 was the highest score among them.

Josh Philippe would appear to be front of the queue if selectors want a back-up keeper having taken the gloves in that match and having performed well at 'A' level over recent years. Sam Harper is also on that tour, while Jimmy Peirson shadowed Carey for part of the 2023 Ashes series when Inglis returned home for the birth of his first child.

Qantas tour of South Africa 2026

All matches to be broadcast exclusively in Australia on Kayo and Fox Cricket

First ODI: South Africa beat Australia by 67 runs

Second ODI: September 27, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, 6pm AEST (10am local)

Third ODI: September 30, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 9:30pm AEST (D/N, 1:30pm local)

South Africa ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Bjorn Fortuin, Duan Jansen, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Nqobani Mokoena, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Marsh, Xavier Bartlett, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Joel Davies, Jack Edwards, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Oliver Peake, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa

Warm-up match: October 3-4, JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom, 6pm AEST (10am local)

First Test: October 9-13, Kingsmead Stadium, Durban, 6:30pm AEDT (9:30am local)

Second Test: October 18-22, St George's Park, Gqeberha, 7pm AEDT (10am local)

Third Test: October 27-31, Newlands, Cape Town, 7:30pm AEDT (10:30am local)

Australia Test squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster