India batting great Virat Kohli returned home shortly after landing in South Africa due to a family emergency. Opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad also got ruled out of the Test series due to a finger injury. The sources close to the information revealed that Ruturaj failed to recover on time and thus got released from the Test squad.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Although there is no clarity around the nature of the emergency, an unnamed BCCI source admitted Virat will return on Friday (Dec 22) in Johannesburg, rejoining the Indian Team in their preparation for the first Test in Centurion on Boxing Day.

Following obtaining permission from the BCCI and the team management, Virat flew to Mumbai three days ago, skipping the three-day warm-up game in Pretoria involving all Test-bound players. 

ALSO READ | SA vs IND: South Africa’s Dean Elgar to retire following India Tests

Meanwhile, BCCI released a statement on Ruturaj, who suffered a finger injury during the second ODI in Port Elizabeth and is currently under the medical team’s supervision. 

“(He) hasn’t fully recovered from the blow he sustained to his ring finger while fielding in the second ODI. He remains under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team,” the Indian cricket board stated ahead of the third and final One-Dayer.

After consulting the BCCI, the team management decided to release Gaikwad from the squad, as he is expected to reach India on Saturday (Dec 23). The Indian board hasn’t named any replacement yet.

Indian players on roll in warm-up game

Several Indian players, mainly Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran, made most of the given opportunity, whereas, a few of the starters, including Captain Rohit Sharma, seamers Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur, looked impressive. 

Following the final ODI that concluded on Thursday, all Test-bound players will assemble in Johannesburg and travel to Centurion for the first Test. 

India’s Test squad for South Africa series –

Rohit Sharma (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna

You can now write for Baazigarnews.com and be a part of the Baazigar family. Share your stories and opinions with us here.