Australian quick Mitchell Starc is set to miss the first Test against India as he continues to recover from a finger injury.
It had been thought that Starc would be in a race against the clock to pass as fit for the opening Test of the series, to be played between February 9 and February 13 in Nagpur.
Cameron Green is also battling a finger injury, however, his recover timeline is far more stable with a fracture and surgery - that said, he is also a chance of missing the first Test.
Starc's injury is a far more complicated tendon injury which he must wait to heal while also attempting to keep match fitness up.
Starc admitted during the launch of Amazon Prime's The Test documentary however that he is now likely to miss the first Test.
"That's probably likely (I will miss the first Test)," Starc told AAP.
"We'll see how we're placed at the end of the month.
"Hopefully I am there for the second Test if they want to play me. Maybe I can make some footmarks for Gazza (Lyon) or something. We'll see how the finger is."
Starc missing the first Test will likely see Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins play as the two-man pace attack, with Australia likely to go with two spinners.
That will come out of Nathan Lyon, Ashton Agar, Mitch Swepson and Todd Murphy, with reports suggesting four spinners could be part of the 18-man touring party to India.
Starc's return in the second Test will be a benefit for Australia given his raw pace and aggression, as well as reverse swing, which could tempt the selectors into picking Lance Morris for the series opener.
Australia's 18-man squad is expected to be named this week.
