Mitch Starc won't bowl again this Test

It was an historic and largely successful day for Steve Smith's Australians at the Adelaide Oval, but any sense of satisfaction will have been soured by the news of a potentially serious injury to paceman Mitchell Starc.

Starc had scans after play and has been diagnosed with an early stage stress fracture in the third metatarsal on his right foot.

Bad news for Starc & Australia - he has an early stage stress fracture in the third metatarsal on his right foot #AUSvNZ — cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) November 27, 2015

He will bat if required but will not bowl again in the Test, and the injury has put an immediate cloud over his involvement in the upcoming three-Test series against the West Indies, starting December 10 in Hobart.

The 25-year-old took 3-24 from nine overs on day one and looked in peak form with the pink ball, but just moments after knocking over Mitchell Santner to claim his third scalp he pulled up in his post-delivery stride, and left the field a short time later.

The left-arm quick was seen on crutches as the players headed across the ground and toward the team bus around an hour after stumps.

"It's obviously very disappointing," fellow quick Peter Siddle said of the injury news. "He was bowling so well and has been bowling well for a very long time.

"You never want one of your teammates to go down, especially so early on, (but) we've got enough bowling in our line-up anyway to take the 10 wickets required, so I think we'll be fine.

"But it's very disappointing for him. He has been on fire and I think he showed that again today – even with a bit of pain, he could get the job done and get those few breakthroughs for us in the middle order.

"We know Starcy – he'll be back. It's a nice little rest for him. It's not a bad thing for him at this time of the year. I think he will be back firing in no time at all."

WATCH: Troubled Starc forced from the field in Adelaide

Fast-bowling legend Glenn McGrath was less optimistic, suggesting the prognosis was a concerning one for both Starc and Australia, particularly given the form of the left-armer and the recent departure of Mitchell Johnson.

"When you've got a guy bowling that pace, (as) an attacking bowler, he picked up three wickets again today for not many runs, it's a huge loss for Australia, especially considering Mitchell Johnson retired last week," McGrath said.

"So fingers crossed it's not too bad, but he's going to be out for a while."

Starc grimaces after a delivery in Adelaide // Getty

Initial fears for Starc centred upon his troublesome right ankle, given his recent history of bone spurs and the decision he made to postpone surgery and avoid an extensive lay-off across the middle of an Australian summer that effectively includes eight Tests, with two in New Zealand in February.

At this stage it's unclear if unclear if those bone spurs have in any way impinged on the metatarsal bone, with further news expected out of the Australian camp on Saturday.

James Pattinson appears the likely front-runner to replace Starc if the left-armer is unable to play against the Windies in the first Test, after the Victorian was named 12th man today but left Adelaide to play Sheffield Shield in Perth.

That Shield match began today and Pattinson will only be available for days three and four of the match, meaning he will more than likely get just one innings of bowling against the Warriors.

Victoria's next Shield match is on December 6 against South Australia at the MCG, while the West Indians begin their tour with a four-day match against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane on December 2.