Steyn could be out for six weeks with heel injury

Dale Steyn could be sidelined for up to six weeks after injuring a heel in the first test between South Africa and India at Newlands on Saturday.

Steyn‚ who was playing his first test since November 2016‚ when he fractured a shoulder while bowling at the WACA‚ left the field midway through the last over before tea on the second day.

“During Dale’s 18th over‚ in his delivery stride‚ he landed awkwardly in the footholes and this caused a significant strain to the foot‚ leading to tissue damage on the underside of the foot in the heel area‚” South Africa’s team manager and doctor‚ Mohammed Moosajee‚ said.

“He’s unlikely to bowl [again] in this test match because the recover period could be anything from four to six weeks‚ which means he could be out for the series.”

There was a glimmer of hope‚ but it wasn’t much.

“We’ll get one of the leading ankle surgeons attached to Cricket South Africa’s medical committee to look at him on Sunday and give us an opinion‚” Moosajee said.

He was careful to quell speculation that the problem could have been caused by Steyn‚ who before the match had bowled only 12 overs in whites since his shoulder injury‚ had returned to action too soon.

“This type of injury was freakish because of the way he landed in the footholes and is in no way related to his bowling loads or not being match ready‚” Moosajee said.

Saturday’s injury marked the third time in Steyn’s last five tests that he has broken down.

The first time was against England at Kingsmead in December 2015‚ when he also broke a shoulder.