Brad Haddin is out of the third Test and could also miss next week's game at Headingley after suffering a suspected broken finger in the pre-game warm-up on Thursday night.
Haddin, Australia's premier gloveman and the series' leading run-scorer heading into this game, injured the top of his left ring finger in a drill just minutes before the start of the third Test.
He was replaced by understudy Graham Manou, who is making his Test debut.
Haddin's injury, which was diagnosed by England's team doctor, sparked drama in the Australian dressing room as the tourists scrambled to seek permission from host captain Andrew Strauss to make a late change to its XI.
Results of scans sent back to Australia will be known on Friday night but he is considered a doubtful starter for the fourth Test starting on Friday week.
"We'd have to be careful looking at the fourth Test, but we don't know," said Australia coach Tim Nielsen.
Haddin was keen to play in Edgbaston but team management deemed the risk of doing further damage was too high.
"It's hard to know starting a game knowing you're going to get it shot up every two hours," said Nielsen, who kept wickets for South Australia.
The gloveman, who also broke his finger in his debut Test in the Caribbean last year, would have required painkilling injections before each session to play here.
Haddin's mishap renewed memories of Glenn McGrath's late withdrawal in Edgbaston four years ago when he twisted his ankle after stepping on a cricket ball before the start of play.
"He was catching the fast bowlers at the end of the warm up," Nielsen said.
"Knowing we were batting, he stayed out to catch a few extra balls. One dipped a bit and hit him on the end of the left ring finger."
England was not obliged to allow Australia to make a late change as both captains had already swapped team sheets at the coin toss.
Under ICC rules, the opposition captain must agree to any change to the declared sides.
Strauss' decision will silence critics who questioned his sportsmanship after the controversies of the first two Tests.
Nielsen paid tribute to Strauss for agreeing to Australia's request, describing it as a 'fine gesture'.
Haddin's injury justified Australia's decision to send a reserve wicketkeeper on tour.
Otherwise, Australia would have been forced to either play an injured Haddin or have a part-timer - likely to be either Michael Hussey or Phillip Hughes - donning the gloves in a crucial Test.
"If we play Hussey or Hughes in a Test, the risk of their injuries is huge," Nielsen said.
"With four months here, the best thing to do was to make sure we had a spare bloke here to cover it, and we look like geniuses now."
Manou is the first back-up wicketkeeper used by Australia in a Test since Phil Emery deputised for Ian Healy in Pakistan in 1994, 168 games ago.