Dale Steyn taken to the hospital with shoulder trouble

South African pace spearhead Dale Steyn was forced to leave the field on the second day at the WACA due to trouble in the right shoulder just after 42 minutes before lunch. Steyn was into the fourth ball in his 13th over when he was seen clutching his shoulder. He remained on his haunches after his follow through and held his right shoulder while grimacing in pain.

He is being taken to the hospital for further investigations after being attended by team physiotherapist Brandon Jackson. Steyn was later seen sitting in the dressing room with heavy strapping on his shoulder. Steyn, who snapped the first wicket of the day for his team, is currently just five wickets away from overtaking Shaun Pollock as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in Tests.

South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis is now left with only two frontline seamers in this match – Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada – in the absence of the Steyn. The injury seems worrying for the Proteas as he had broken same shoulder last season and had to miss out England Tests.

Morne Morkel, who suffered a back injury recently, was left out of the starting XI for this match because of fitness concerns may be an option for the remaining two matches should Steyn need to sit out. Kyle Abbott is the fifth seamer in the squad.

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Before this series against Australia, Faf du Plessis stressed the importance of Steyn staying fit for the three Tests because of his role in leading South Africa’s attack. Steyn missed six of South Africa’s eight Tests last summer – three each against India and England, with a hamstring and shoulder problem respectively.