Young gun Meredith to miss rest of BBL

Highly-rated paceman Riley Meredith will miss the rest of the Big Bash League because of a side strain, stalling his push for an international debut.

Meredith will be on the sidelines for at least a month, with his best-case scenario likely to be a Sheffield Shield return on February 14.

The 23-year-old, who boasts a nasty bouncer and the capacity to bowl at upwards of 150km/h, has long had the vocal backing of Shane Warne.

But the Hobart Hurricanes quick is also on the radar of national selectors.

At the start of summer, Meredith was selected as the most inexperienced member of a talent-laden Australia A side.

Meredith twice dismissed Steve Smith earlier this season, while he was one of the BBL's form bowlers with 10 scalps at 13.7.

Despite Warne's pleas for the right-armer to be handed a Test debut, Meredith has admitted the shortest format looms as his best path to an international call-up.

"I probably perform best at T20 level at the moment, so that's probably the one to get into," the fast bowler said last month.

"I'm obviously trying to do my best in all formats.

"Not a huge amount (of contact with selectors) really, just the same message ... keep taking wickets and keep improving your game and you'll get there."

Australia's next Test is in June against Bangladesh, with limited-overs tours of India, South Africa and New Zealand to occupy selectors' focus in the next three months.

Meredith suffered the injury last Sunday during Hobart's eight-run win over Perth.

"Riley had scans yesterday, which unfortunately revealed a significant left side strain that will sideline him for at least a month," Hurricanes physio Stewart Williamson said.

Meredith's setback will test the Hurricanes' depth, especially with James Faulkner (calf) and D'Arcy Short (ODI tour) also unavailable.

However, Test batsman Matthew Wade will return to captain the Hurricanes in Thursday night's clash with Brisbane Heat at the Gabba.