PERTH, Oct 6: Australian paceman Glenn McGrath is out of cricket for two months with further surgery needed for a troublesome ankle.

McGrath, who was poised to leapfrog New Zealander Richard Hadlee and India’s Kapil Dev to become the fourth all-time leading wicket-taker, has been ruled out of this month’s two home Test matches against Zimbabwe and the following limited overs tour of India.

Surgery also rules him out of the first two Tests against India, in Brisbane and Adelaide, in early December.

Scans on his left ankle on Monday revealed that 33-year-old McGrath will require surgery to remove two bone spurs at the front of his ankle.—AFP