Siddle has been asked to undergo a three month rehabilitation before considering a return. The Victorian fast bowler hoped of coming back stronger and fitter.

“I had stress fractures when I was about 18 or 19 and at the time, obviously, it was difficult… but recovery went well and in the end I was back and playing that following year. It didn’t hold me back at all and in the end it got a lot stronger, a lot fitter and worked out the best for me,” Siddle said.

He also dismissed claims that the excessive workload these days in international cricket had caused this injury. Rather, he described it as gradually worsening problem.

“Every time you go out on the field there’s a chance you can get injured, whether you’re a batter or a bowler. I don’t think it’s just me, it could happen to anyone in any game. But it’s definitely not the workload. Personally, I hadn’t played much cricket coming into the last two years… so, for me, it was more cricket than I’d ever played before. But the schedule was no different from what it had been over the past five or six years so that’s definitely not a part of it,” he was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.

Harris finished with figures of 5-19 as Pakistan were bowled out for just 142, chasing the Australian total of 277 for 8. Umar Akmal was the top scorer for Pakistan with 38 as the Australian bowlers just ran through a hapless Pakistan team.

Earlier, Australia won the toss and opted to bat. Pakistan had them on the mat at one point, with the scoreboard reading 77-3 and then 110-4, but Nathan Hauritz just launched a brutal attack out of nowhere to take the Australian total to 277-8.

Hauritz came to the crease with Australia at 190-6 in the 40^th over and along with Hussey (67), helped the home team add 87 runs in the final ten overs. He particularly took advantage of the batting power play to smash an unbeaten 53 off just 39 balls, including one four and four huge sixes.

Chasing a target of 278, Pakistan struggled to cope with Harris’s fast out-swingers as the speedster found the edges of opener Salman Butt (0) and the out-of-form Younis Khan (6). The visitors were soon out of the game crashing to 4-29 in the 10th over as Kamran Akmal (17) and skipper Mohammad Yousuf (10) fell in the space of three balls.

Harris went on to complete his second consecutive five-wicket haul in a man-of-the-match performance as Pakistan was dismissed for 142 in the 38th over.

The 30-year old recorded outstanding figures of 5-19 from 9.5 overs, while Peter Siddle took 2-31 to make a strong comeback from a back injury to help Australia to a 4-0 lead.

Match Summary: Australia 8 for 277(Hussey 67, Hauritz 53*, Asif 3-42) beat Pakistan 142 (Umar Akmal 38, Harris 5-19) by 135 runs

Man of the Match: Ryan Harris

Pakistan set a target of 176 runs to win as they allowed Australia to make a comeback into the game with a 123-runs ninth wicket stand between Michael Hussey and Peter Siddle, and were then bundled out for just 139 runs.

Pakistan’s disastrous performance on the fourth day of the match surprised everyone, with even the Australian commentators, including Riche Benaud, Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor, Shane Warne, Michael Slater and Tony Greig, expressing shock at the defensive approach adopted by Yousuf right from the beginning on the fourth day even though Australia were 8 wickets down and just 80 runs ahead.

“It is beyond comprehension what he was trying to do by sending around seven to eight fielders to the boundary ropes early on in the day at a time when he should have attacked both batsmen with the second new ball,” former Test captain and ex-chief selector Aamir Sohail said.

Sohail pointed out that by displaying such a negative mindset, Yousuf allowed Australia to get back into the Test and sent out a clear message that he neither had a confidence in his bowlers to take wickets nor in his batsmen to chase a big total.

Another former captain Moin Khan said that it was surprising to see Pakistan’s tactics when they had their noses in front at the beginning of the day.

“I don’t know what happened but I think even if Yousuf was not thinking right and his strategy was wrong after the first half an hour, the support staff, including coach Intikhab Alam, should have sent out a message to him to change his strategy,” Moin noted.

Former captain and commentator Rameez Raja said that Pakistan had lost its best opportunity in many years to beat Australia in their own backyard. “We should have been more attacking this morning. It was unacceptable that the ninth wicket pair batted through the extended pre-lunch session without being separated. It reflected poorly on the bowling although the field settings were strange,” he said.

Former batsman Basit Ali remarked that the defeat in Sydney has now opened the doors for an Australian clean sweep. “It is rare for a team to lose after bowling out the opposition for just 127 runs on the first day. I think it just shows that Yousuf still has a long way to go to learn the finer art of captaincy and there is no doubt Pakistan is missing the stable batting of Younis Khan and his positive thinking as a captain,” he said.

After dominating the match for the first three days, the tourists just completely lost the plot on the fourth day as Nathan Hauritz picked up his second five wicket haul in as many matches. Hauritz finished with figures of 5 for 53.

Earlier, resuming on Day 4, Michael Hussey hit a brilliant 134 not out to set up the win for the Aussies. He and Peter Siddle shared a ninth wicket stand of 123 runs to take Australia to 381 in their second innings, a target of 176 for Pakistan. Danish Kaneria, with five for 151, was the most successful bowler for Pakistan in the second innings.

But as it turned out, it was the ninth wicket partnership that proved to be the deciding factor in the game. With this win, Australia became only the sixth team in test match history to win a game after trailing by 200-plus runs in the first innings.

Chasing 176, the visitors got off to a decent start, with openers Imran Farhat and Salman Butt notching up 34 runs from the first seven overs. But Doug Bollinger then struck for the hosts, removing Farhat, and Mitchell Johnson picked up two in quick succession to push the Pakistanis on the backfoot.

From 34 for one, the tourists slumped to 51 for three and were then tottering at 77 for five. Umar Akmal was the lone Pakistan player who showed some stomach to fight hitting 49 runs. He was the eighth wicket to fall and the hosts just took 19 more deliveries to wrap up the match.

Match Summary:

Australia 127 and 381 (Hussey 134*, Kaneria 5-151) beat Pakistan 333 and 139 (Umar Akmal 49, Hauritz 5-53, Johnson 3-27) by 36 runs

Man of the Match: Michael Hussey

Speedster Peter Siddle has been suffering from a hamstring injury which has kept him out of the first two tests of the ongoing three match series. Siddle, had a strong workout in the nets at the WACA on Sunday but the team management said that they are going to wait and watch how Siddle’s hamstring responds to the workout before a final decision is taken on his availability.

Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said that he was expecting Siddle will be cleared for the game, “[But] in order to ensure there is sufficient cover, a decision has been made to have Brett Geeves available as a standby player in Perth,” Hilditch said. “Brett gets his opportunity on the back of his recent strong performances in Sheffield Shield cricket and because the panel feels he will be well-suited to the conditions at the WACA should an opportunity present itself.”

Australia has been going through a bad time with their fast bowling stock being tested with every series. Three of their contracted fast bowlers — Ben Hilfenhaus, Brett Lee and Stuart Clark, are currently on the injured list.

Brett Lee hasn’t played any test match since the second Ashes test last year and he is currently recovering from an elbow bone spur that he picked up during the first ODI of the ongoing India-Australia series. Once fit, Lee will have tough competition from the likes of Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus, who have performed brilliantly in his absence.

However, McGrath, who was at the Sydney Cricket Ground launching the Jane McGrath Day for January’s Sydney test, said that Lee still remained a threat to international batsmen. “I think Brett’s still got a lot to offer – a lot of experience that he brings to the team, that fear factor, the aura there he’s created,” McGrath said at the SCG. “In saying that the guys that have done the job – the way Mitchell Johnson’s bowled, Pete Siddle has impressed me and Hilfy and Dougy Bollinger coming on the scene – you can’t fault any of them. It’s good, healthy competition but I would have ‘Binga’ in any team I played in if he’s back fit again.”

Lee, 33, has played 76 tests so far, picking up 310 wickets in those matches. But recently, there have been doubts over his fitness and his ability to play back-to-back test matches. After recovering from ankle surgery, Lee did not play a single Test during the Ashes series due to a side strain. The latest elbow injury, which resulted in an early departure from the India one-day series, came following some match winning performances in the limited-overs format.

New South Wales face Tasmania in a Sheffield Shield match next week and Lee will have to play in that game to be a serious contender for the opening contest against West Indies from November 26. “In a Test the workload is going to be pretty heavy and I don’t think Brett would want to go into a Test where he was concerned [about his body],” McGrath, who took 563 wickets in 124 Tests, said. “If he broke down in that first match back, it could damage his career a lot more than just sitting that one out and coming back when he was 100% right.”

“I heard he had a bowl at the nets yesterday and was pretty happy about how it went. If he can get through a four-day match then he can get through a Test match,” he added.

Australia won the sixth ODI in Guwahati on Sunday by a comfortable six-wicket margin and took an unassailable 4-2 lead in the seven match series. The Australian media lauded Ricky Ponting and his men for the way they have humiliated India despite being without their key players. The series win also meant that Australia consolidated their position at the top of the ODI rankings, which was under threat if India were to win the series.

“Courageous Australia remain cricket’s one-day kings after crushing upstart rivals India in a ruthless show of strength,” screamed a write-up in the Courier Mail. “India’s bold ambition to send Ricky Ponting’s men home without the number one ranking proved hollow with Australia’s six-wicket victory sealing the series and one-day bragging rights.”

Headlined ‘Jubilant Aussies take series over India’, Herald Sun newspaper said the series win by Ponting’s men would be even more devastating to the Indian psyche as it had come with a “virtual Australia-A side”.

“Dhoni’s side will be licking its wounds for a while after being bashed by a virtual Australia ‘A’ side, short of front-line names but big on heart,” it said.

“The loss of Brett Lee, Peter Siddle, Tim Paine, James Hopes and Moises Henriques only served to galvanise Ponting’s unit. Australia has depth in young talent who will not only hold the line as reinforcements but win battles of their own,” the article in the Herald Sun said. “Ponting’s injury-hit squad of ‘home brand’ warriors put India back in their box, dealing a huge psychological blow to their psyche.”

The Age lauded Ponting’s men for keeping Australia’s 13-year undefeated ODI series run in India intact. “Australia will fly out this week with both its number one ranking and 13-year unbeaten run in one-day series here intact, after taking an unassailable 4-2 lead over India,” the newspaper said. “Forty-five minutes of lethal new-ball bowling from Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson paved the way for the six-wicket win at the Nehru Stadium at Guwahati.”

Cricket Australia said in a press release on Wednesday that Henriques would return home after suffering a hamstring injury during the fourth ODI in Mohali. The release also said that the CA National Selection Panel (NSP) have decided that McDonald and Cockley would join the squad for the sixth ODI in Guwahati as replacement players for Henriques and Peter Siddle, who returned home early this morning with stiffness in his left side.

“Moises complained of some discomfort after the fourth ODI in Mohali. He had an MRI scan when we arrived in Hyderabad which showed signs of injury to the right hamstring,” Australian physiotherapist Kevin Sims said. “The medical staff believes the injury will not recover sufficiently for him to participate in the last week of the tour and therefore we have decided he will return to Australia where he will continue his treatment.”

Australia’s National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said McDonald’s form in the Champions League Twenty20 was instrumental in getting him a call-up while Cockley was rewarded for his performance in the Ford Ranger Cup.

“Andrew played very well for Victoria in the recent Champions League in India. He was in very good form in the first Sheffield Shield game, scoring a hundred and bowling impressively on a batsman friendly Adelaide wicket and backing that up with a dominant display in tonight’s Ford Ranger Cup match,” Hilditch said. “We are sure that Andrew will grab his opportunity and perform well in the Australian one-day set up.”

“Burt is someone who the NSP has identified in the last 12 months as someone who could have an impact at international level. He performed well in the recent Ford Ranger Cup game against Western Australia and we think he will be well suited to Indian conditions. This is a great opportunity for a young Australian fast bowler to have an impact at the international level,” added Hilditch.

Australia’s injury worries have been increasing by the day. They landed in India without key players like Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin and a string of injuries during the series saw Brett Lee, James Hopes, Tim Paine, Siddle and now Henriques return home.

Siddle bowled just five overs in the match and team physio Kevin Sims said that the decision to send him back was a precautionary measure.

“Peter’s injury does not appear to be a serious problem but it is unlikely he will be able to safely bowl within the next week which would therefore not allow him to have any further participation in the tour,” Sims said. “With this in mind we have made the decision that Peter will return to Australia where he will reviewed by Cricket Australia medical staff to ensure he is available for selection at the beginning of the Australian summer.”

Australia’s selectors are yet to decide on a replacement player and the bench strength of the nation’s bowling has already been tested during the tour. Brett Lee and James Hopes have flown home from India mid-series and the squad was already without Nathan Bracken, who has a knee injury.

Clint McKay and Moises Henriques have joined the squad to boost the attack and the selectors will need to look through the state ranks for a third fast man to add to the group. Their options will include Dirk Nannes and Brett Geeves, both of whom have been part of the squad over the past year.

“Tim has a broken finger. He will be going back home and we haven’t decided on his replacement. The replacement should be available for the next match in Delhi,” visiting team skipper Ricky Ponting said after the match. Paine, who himself was a replacement for the regular wicket-keeper Brad Haddin who is already on the injured list and is not with the touring party, suffered the injury while trying to collect a bouncing delivery from speedster Peter Siddle in the eighth over of the Indian innings.

Talking about the comprehensive 99-run defeat suffered by his team today at the hands of the hosts, Ponting said Australia were totally outplayed.

“India seized the momentum early on. They batted very well, Dhoni and Gambhir initially and then Raina. And once we were 45 for three we were out of the game. Our batsmen had everything to lose and nothing to gain today. Unfortunately, we ended up on the losing side,” Ponting said.

Ponting defended his decision to field first as he said batting was his team’s stronger suit today in the absence of Brett Lee and James Hopes due to injuries.  ”It’s not often that I decide to bowl on winning the toss. I thought our batting was strong and we could chase comfortably. But India upset the calculations,” Ponting said. He said Lee could have made a difference as he had been bowling well.

“It could’ve made a difference. Brett has been bowling very well. But it was also an opportunity for the others to showcase their talent. Unfortunately, we came up a bit short,” he said.

Ponting lamented the death bowling woes faced by his team after the retirement of pace great Glenn McGrath. “Ever since Glenn McGrath has moved out, the death overs have been a problem. We were a few centimeters away from executing our plans today,” he said.