Dale Steyn will miss the rest of the World Cup after failing to recover from a shoulder injury.

The confirmation of Steyn’s early withdrawal came shortly before the Proteas’ press conference ahead of tomorrow’s clash against India.

Steyn missed the Proteas’ first two World Cup matches against England and Bangladesh after injuring his shoulder while playing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League in April.

The 35-year-old Steyn had a bowl on the practice pitches at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Monday to prove his fitness ahead of the Proteas’ crucial World Cup match against India on Wednesday.

He did not bowl in the nets on Tuesday and is now due to visit an orthopedic surgeon in London. Lions left-arm quick Beuran Hendricks will replace Steyn for the remainder of the tournament.

In a statement released by Cricket South Africa, it was revealed that Steyn had in fact ‘suffered a second shoulder injury which has not responded to treatment and has ruled him out of bowling for the foreseeable future’.

‘The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad,’ the statement read.

The Event Technical Committee of the World Cup consists of Geoff Allardice (ICC, ETC chairman), Campbell Jamieson (ICC representative), Steve Elworthy (CWC representative), Alan Fordham (host representative), Harsha Bhogle and Kumar Sangakkara (both independent representatives).