The injury occurred on day two in Johannesburg when Paine was keeping up to the stumps.

The Tasmanian appeared to misread a delivery off debutant swing bowler Chadd Sayers that reared off a length.

Paine was in immediate discomfort and undertook painkillers at the end of the over.

“It’s okay – it’s got a little crack in it,” Paine said after day three.

“But I’ve played through worse.”

The 33-year-old has undergone surgery at least five times within seven years prior to his shock recall to the Test side in November for the Ashes series.

Complicating the issue is that eight pins, a metal plate and a piece of hip bone are holding his thumb together.

Team physiotherapist David Beakley checked on the wicketkeeper, but Paine at no stage took the gloves off during the discussion.

Paine was adamant not to head back to dressing rooms considering Australia’s had one of its toughest weeks in cricket history.

“The initial hit really hurt, but I was hoping that if I gave it five or 10 minutes, it might settle down,” he said.

“It still hurts a little now, but I have had a fair share of finger injuries.

“Compared to a couple of other ones, this isn’t too bad.”

The new Australian captain also went onto bat the next day, steadying his team from entire collapse to top-score with 62 off 96 balls.

Paine has nearly two months for the bone to heal heading into Australia’s limited-overs tour of England in June.

“All I know at the moment, there is some sort of break in it,” he said.

“But it’s all in place, which is good.

“So barring another hit in this Test, it should be okay.”

Paine had been on the verge of quitting the game to take up an offer to work for ball manufacturer Kookaburra in Melbourne, but decided to play again for the 2017/18 season.

He had been overlooked for the Tasmanian side at the start of the summer before national selectors turned to the gloveman ahead of state teammate and Test incumbent Matthew Wade.