SYDNEY, Nov 7: All-rounder Shane Watson will likely be out of the Australian team for two months after injuring his shoulder during the weekend win in the first Test against the West Indies, Cricket Australia said on Monday.

Watson, 24, had already been ruled out of the second Test starting in Hobart on Nov 17 and an MRI scan on Monday revealed that he had partially dislocated his left shoulder and would undergo arthroscopic surgery on the injury on Tuesday.

Doctors will use the surgery to assess the extent of the damage and Cricket Australia said it could then offer a better estimation of his recovery time, “but at this stage it looks to be at least two months”.

“The positive aspect is that Watson is a right-handed bowler which will significantly reduce the amount of time out of the game,” it said in a statement.

Watson, being groomed as an genuine all-rounder to rival England’s Andrew Flintoff, sustained the injury during a fielding mishap on Sunday.

After diving onto an on-drive from Ramnaresh Sarwan he lay on the ground clutching his left shoulder and grimacing in pain.—AFP