A stress fracture in a neck vertebrae is set to sideline Queensland and Australia leg-spinner Mitch Swepson for the remainder of the summer.
After reporting neck pain during the back end of Brisbane Heat's Big Bash League campaign, scans revealed Swepson had suffered a stress fracture in the C6 vertebrae.
The Test hopeful has been ordered to spend six weeks without bowling before being re-scanned to determine his ongoing treatment.
Former Test batsman and Queensland Cricket sports medicine manager Martin Love said the 27-year-old's treatment would have to be carefully managed.
"It is certainly not a common injury with spinners for instance, and so while Australian Cricket has a great deal of information about managing stress fractures in fast bowlers, it is not quite as clear cut in Mitch's case," Love said.
"We will work closely with Mitch and Cricket Australia to manage his recovery.
"We are encouraged by the successful returns of many bowlers who have had to deal with back stress fractures during their careers so hopefully this case proves relatively straightforward."
Swepson was included in the Test squad for this summer's India tour after claiming 23 wickets at 21.17 in the opening phase of the Sheffield Shield for the Bulls.
Despite not featuring in the Test campaign, Swepson played three games in the Twenty20 series against India in December.
He was also named in the Australia squad to tour South Africa before that series was postponed earlier this month.
Swepson's injury means he'll miss Queensland's remaining Shield matches as well as the domestic one-day cup campaign.
"I'm trying to remain positive and will be doing everything that I can to get some games in towards the end of the season," he said.
