Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey

Australia have been dealt a blow with left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann in huge doubt for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. Kuhnemann was struck on his right thumb attempting to field a ball hit firmly by Matthew Wade off his own bowling in Brisbane Heat’s final-ball loss to Hobart Hurricanes on Thursday night.

Kuhnemann yelled in pain and ran off the field immediately with one ball remaining in the 17th over. Gruesome footage from the stump camera showed the bone had broken through the skin, confirmed by Sydney Morning Herald as a compound dislocation.

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Matt Kuhnemann to have surgery, placing him in major doubt for two-Test tour of Sri Lanka

Sydney Morning Herald also confirmed Kuhnemann is set to have surgery on his injured thumb today (Friday 17th January), which is likely to rule him out of the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka beginning January 29. SEN Cricket’s Tom Morris confirmed Kuhnemann went straight to hospital following the injury.

The Australia squad is due to depart for Dubai for a training camp before the series. According to reports, the team management will make a decision on Kuhnemann after surgery given the injury was suffered on his non-bowling hand.

Heat and Australia teammate Marnus Labuschagne was disappointed for Kuhnemann. He believes the left-arm spinner will be one of the first picked given how favourable conditions are for Kuhnemann in Galle.

“I just heard about Matt Kuhnemann, so that’s pretty bad,” Labuschagne told AAP after the Heat-Hurricanes match. “Thumb … it doesn’t look great. I really feel for him.”

“It’s someone I’m close to and he’s grown so much with his bowling and in Sri Lanka, he’s probably one of the first picked over there. I’m really gutted.”

If Kuhnemann is ruled out, Cooper Connolly’s chances of a Test debut rise sharply, while the likes of legspinner Mitchell Swepson or offspinner Corey Rocchicioli could come into the squad. Connolly is the only other left-arm spinner in the squad currently, which may tempt selectors to hand him a debut despite not yet taking a wicket in his four First Class matches.