Back Injuries Plague Australian Fast Bowlers, Callum Vidler Latest Victim

Back injuries are striking Australian fast bowlers with increasing regularity, prompting concerns of a potential epidemic. The latest to be side-lined is 19-year-old Callum Vidler, a promising talent from Queensland. Confirmed by ESPNcricinfo, Vidler's partial stress fracture rules him out of pivotal matches, including Australia's upcoming white-ball tour of India.

Vidler had been enhancing his game at the T20 Max event in Queensland, but dreams of further accolades were dashed when scans revealed a partial L3 vertebra fracture. Queensland's high performance general manager, Joe Dawes, shared that while Vidler is deeply disappointed, a thorough rehabilitation plan is underway though a return date remains uncertain.

Compounding the troubling trend, Australia A faces a depleted bowling line-up, missing out on Pat Cummins and Lance Morris. With Brody Couch now injured and replaced by Henry Thornton in the red-ball matches, Vidler's absence steals another weapon from the white-ball arsenal.

(With inputs from agencies.)