Ferguson summer over with torn ACL

Callum Ferguson has been ruled out of the remainder of the 2015-16 summer after suffering an ACL tear in his left knee in a Melbourne Renegades practice match on the eve of the KFC Big Bash League season.

Scans today confirmed the worst fears for Ferguson, the Renegades and the West End Redbacks with a "pretty innocuous" fielding mishap in a practice match at Junction Oval yesterday now a season-ending injury.

It is yet to be decided if the batsman will undergo a full reconstruction, with a decision to be made in the next few days after consulting specialists in Adelaide.

SACA High Performance General Manager Tim Nielsen said the injury was a disappointing setback for Ferguson coming off a career-best 2014-15 summer. 

"We're just so incredibly disappointed and really feel for Callum right now, but he's still got plenty of cricket ahead of him and we look forward to helping him back to full fitness," Nielsen said. 

"Callum has been in fantastic form this year in both the Matador Cup and Sheffield Shield, coming off an outstanding double-century a few weeks ago. 

"He's an important part of our Redbacks squad - our main concern right now is that he gets the treatment and rehabilitation he needs." 

Ferguson has enjoyed a great start to the season, averaging 46.85 in the Matador Cup and 53.11 in the Sheffield Shield where he recorded his highest ever first-class total of 213 against Tasmania.

The Renegades had been desperate for good news for one of their star batsman. 

"He's a great man and such a good player that if it is bad news it will be his third or fourth knee (reconstruction)," Renegades captain Aaron Finch said earlier today.

"It's disappointing news and shocking for Callum. All we can do is hope for the best on the scan this morning." 

WATCH: Ferguson goes big last summer

Ferguson suffered a serious knee injury prior to the Under-19 World Cup in 2004 and again at the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa, cutting short an impressive one-day career for Australia where he averaged 46 in 25 matches.

The stylish right-hander has added five ODIs to his tally but none since April 2011, but his form for South Australia has been strong in recent seasons.

Last summer Ferguson averaged 52 with four centuries last summer in Sheffield Shield cricket, and has backed up that up with 478 runs this year at 53. 

Renegades coach David Saker says Ferguson's possible stint on the sidelines would lead to a re-jig of the batting order, but is confident he can cover the loss in the short term.

"It has put a bit of a dent in the way we're planning," Saker said.

"We have enough batters in that group who can probably cover it.

"The problem might occur when we lose some of our Australian players.

"That might become an issue. At the moment I think we can cover it.

"It's more just a shame for Callum himself because he's in fantastic form.

"He was batting really well for us in the trial games. He would have been a really important player for us.

"Hopefully the scans are okay but it's not looking great at the moment." 

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While the loss of Ferguson would be a huge blow to the Renegades, who are looking to return to the finals for the first time since BBL|02, the squad has been boosted by the arrival of West Indies pair Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo.

Gayle returns to the BBL after a two-year exile following a poor second season with the Sydney Thunder, while Bravo is back after a short stint with the Renegades last summer.

Saker is excited by the Caribbean duo, and says while Gayle will most likely tee off from ball one, the versatile Bravo will be used a variety of ways this summer.

"Chris (Gayle) is that sort of player that he will just go out and play his way, and that's why we've picked him to do that," Saker said.

"We want him at the top to do what he does really well.

"Dwayne is a proven bowler at T20 cricket, he's probably one of the best T20 bowlers in the world.

"So he can play a lot of different roles with the ball and he's also very destructive with the bat.

"So we'll have our own tactics to certain batters, but he's played a lot of cricket and he knows how the game flows and I'll be confident when the ball goes to him he'll be doing the right things." 

WATCH: Gayle arrives in Melbourne