Sydney Sixers wicketkeeper and Australia vice-captain Alyssa Healy has been officially ruled out of the entire WBBL season following a consultation with her surgeon regarding her gruesome finger injury. She now faces a race against time to be fit for Australia’s multiformat tour of India in December.

Healy suffered a severe laceration to her right index finger last weekend when she was accidentally bitten by one of her puppies while trying to separate them at home. The injury required surgery after an artery had been severed but there was no bone or tendon damage.

Healy consulted with her surgeon on Thursday and following discussions with Cricket Australia’s medical team, she has been ruled out of the remainder of the WBBL, including finals.

“This is not the news I was hoping for because I love playing in the WBBL and I love the Sydney Sixers,” Healy said. “My focus now will be on making a full recovery and returning to play when the time is right.

“I’ll continue to spend time with the Sixers squad and offer any help I can to help the team and the club thrive for the rest of the competition.

“I’ll enjoy being able to watch the WBBL from afar as the tournament continues to go from strength to strength.”

The next target will be the tour of India in December and January, with a timeframe for her playing return to be determined over the next few weeks after further rehabilitation. Healy has been Australia’s stand-in captain for much of this year after Meg Lanning was ruled out of the Ashes and also missed the recent series against West Indies.

The India trip is expected to start with a Test match played shortly before Christmas, followed by the white-ball fixtures.