Worcestershire spinner Shaaiq Choudhry will miss the start of the 2015 campaign after suffering a side strain.
Director of Cricket Steve Rhodes confirmed Choudhry will be side-lined for a month with the setback.
The 29-year-old sustained the injury whilst bowling in the two-day friendly match with Gloucestershire at New Road last Friday.
It is unfortunate timing for Choudhry after impressing Rhodes during pre-season and given the stiff competition for places.
Rhodes said: "Shaaiq is sadly going to be out for a month with a side strain.
"It has come at totally the wrong time for poor old Shaaiq as he has worked his butt off this winter on his bowling and batting.
"He was really starting to come together. We played on a couple of the net facilities last week where he was unplayable so I was really looking forward to seeing him go this year, especially early season.
"But sadly for him he has got to have a little bit of a rehab period. Luckily for him, I suppose, he can get it out of the way and then hopefully the rest of the season will be injury free."
Choudhry was unfortunate during the early part of last season to suffer a broken thumb after being part of the side.
Rhodes said: "These things happen, you can't do anything about it and the intercostal is a bowling injury.
"Sometimes no matter how hard you try to avoid them, these things do happen."
Choudhry said: "I did it while I was bowling. I did it after bowling the fourth over. I felt it a little bit. Come the fifth over, it got a bit worse and I came off and got it seen to.
"It is feeling okay. I don't want to miss to much cricket this time of the year especially when we are fighting for places.
"I want to try and get into the side and play as much as I can."
*We will be featuring Shaaiq on the Worcestershire CCC website during the next few days when he reveals his goals and targets for when recovered from his current injury.
