Injured off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been ruled out of action for the next five months, including India's historic Pakistan tour.
Indian team physiotherapist Andrew Leipus said the bowler, who underwent surgery on his finger in Australia on Friday, will have his finger plastered for the next two weeks and have to undergo rehabilitation for at least five months before he starts bowling again.
"The ligament rupture on the knuckle of the middle finger will take at least five months to heal before Harbhajan plays competitive cricket," Leipus told media persons in Hobart on Saturday.
Harbhajan has been suffering from a ligament injury since the end of World Cup in South Africa early this year. He skipped a tri-nation limited-overs series in Bangladesh in April but opted for physiotherapy instead of surgery.
Leipus said Harbhajan would have been fit to play by this time had he opted for surgery then.
"The finger was fine before he left India," Leipus said. "But it flared up again after the first Test. It was a choice of conservative treatment versus an invasive surgical procedure with the associated risks."
Harbhajan, who sat out of the second Test in Adelaide, where India recorded a stunning victory over Australia, said he is recovering well.
"I am in good spirits," Harbhajan said. "It [surgery] is over and done with... the surgeon has removed the damaged tissues and stitched the ligament," he said.
Leipus said Harbhajan will remain in Australia for rehabilitation.
The good news for Indian fans is that injured pace spearhead Zaheer Khan is progressing well and most likely to take the field for the third Test, starting in Melbourne on December 26.
"Zaheer had a spright in his steps this morning. I will be upset if he is not able to play the Melbourne Test," he said.
