'Suspected' hamstring injury in India may force Watson out of winter Ashes opener

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson may reportedly be unavailable for the opening Test of the winter Ashes series at the Gabba, starting on November 21, after he was forced from the field during last night's seventh-and-final one-day international against India in Bangalore with a suspected hamstring tweak.

Watson, who left the field immediately after appearing to injure a hamstring while running into bowl the first delivery of his sixth over, has endured one of his busiest ever seasons, which included Tests, first class games, ODIs, Twenty20 internationals, Indian Premier League games and the T20 Champions League.

According to News.com.au, Watson's hamstrings have sidelined him for extended periods in the past and if he cannot play in the first Ashes Test, selectors will be faced with the difficult decision of replacing him with a specialist top order batsmen or an all-rounder.

The report mentioned that young fast bowlers James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are other high profile Australian cricketers sidelined with injury, although captain Michael Clarke has just completed his first game after a back injury that sidelined him from the just-completed ODI tour of India.