Injured Prithvi Shaw carried off SCG

UPDATE: The Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed Shaw has suffered a lateral ligament injury to his left ankle. The youngster will miss the first Test and is working towards a return for the second Test in Perth from November 14 at the earliest. 

Veteran Ravi Ashwin told reporters after play that the injury has hit Shaw "pretty hard". 

"He is feeling a bit sore and it has swollen up a little bit," Ashwin said. "Sad that it happened the first time he came out on the field. I hope he recovers fast.

"He has not spoken much. It has hit him pretty hard. Young boy who has come to play in Australia for the first time, had a dream start to his Test career, so hit him pretty hard."

EARLIER: India have suffered a major injury blow just six days before the opening Domain Test with young gun Prithvi Shaw chaired off the field on day three of India’s sole tour match in Sydney.

Shaw rolled his left ankle attempting a catch on the deep mid-wicket boundary. The 19-year-old took the catch off Cricket Australia XI opener Max Bryant, but landed awkwardly with his left ankle bending 90-degrees inwards underneath him, and he tumbled to the ground and over the rope.

LIVE COVERAGE: CA XI v India

The six took Bryant to his half-century, but the focus was on Shaw as he immediately grabbed his left ankle as team medical stuff from both sides rushed to the aid of the young batsman.

He was then chaired off the field by India physiotherapist Patrick Farhart and a support staff member into the SCG's away team dressing room as the tour match resumed.

Shaw emerged soon after and left the venue via a motorised stretcher, with captain Virat Kohli rushing from the field to check on his welfare. The BCCI updated that Shaw was taken to a local hospital for scans.

He returned to the SCG at the lunch break wearing a moon boot and on crutches.

Shaw, who made a Test century on debut last month against the West Indies, struck a sublime 66 from 69 balls on day two.

The right-hander hit 11 fours before he was bowled around his legs by CA XI leg-spinner Dan Fallins attempting a sweep shot that left him performing the splits on the pitch.

Shaw, who is the latest teenager to shoulder the burden of being labelled the 'next Sachin Tendulkar', last month became the youngest Indian to score a century on Test debut.

"He's a spectator's delight. There's a bit of Sachin (Tendulkar) there, a bit of Viru (Virendar Sehwag) in him and when he walks there's a bit of (Brian) Lara," India coach Ravi Shastri said after Shaw's impressive debut Test series.

While Shaw was seen as a certainty to open the batting in Adelaide next week, his participation is now in serious doubt, furthering India's conundrum at the top of the order.

India batting coach Sanjay Bangar confirmed yesterday one opening spot was up for grabs.

KL Rahul is the incumbent by has averaged just 24.70 in 2018 with only two scores over 50 in 18 innings. Veteran Murali Vijay is in the squad and was expected to contest Rahul for an opening spot, but he could now be the bittersweet beneficiary of Shaw's injury should the youngster be ruled out of the first Test.

MORE TO COME

Domain Test Series v India

Dec 6-10: First Test, Adelaide Oval

Dec 14-18: Second Test, Perth Stadium

Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG

Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain

India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar