The 27-year-old Jamaican, who has endured a poor run of form in South Africa after totalling over 200 runs in the two Tests in Zimbabwe, has been diagnosed with a severe groin strain and was scheduled to fly out from Johannesburg last night, South African time, en route to the Caribbean.

The hard-hitting left-handed batsman could only manage 59 runs from six innings in the first three Tests of the current series but picked up five wickets with his right-arm medium-pacers in the first Test in Johannesburg.

Skipper Brian Lara was still hoping that Hinds would recover from the injury to be a factor in the upcoming limited-over series, but confirmation of the diagnosis by team physiotherapist Sunet Liebenberg sealed his fate.

With a number of players still nursing various ailments, the West Indies selectors are awaiting confirmation of their fitness status before naming the squad for the five one-dayers against South Africa, which begins January 25 in Cape Town.

The tourists trail 2-0 in the Test series with the fourth and final Match beginning on Friday at Supersport Park in Centurion.

Hinds joins batsman Marlon Samuels (chronic knee ailment), fast bowler Jerome Lawson and off-spinning all-rounder Omari Banks (both back injuries) in returning home from the tour.

There are still concerns about injuries to fast bowler Mervyn Dillon(bruised hand), batsman Dwayne Smith (dislocated finger) and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh (bruised toe).