Virat Kohli return home before South Africa Test series due to family emergency, Gaikward released

India vs South Africa Test series: Veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli has returned home due to a family emergency ahead of the South Africa Test series that starts in Centurion on December 26.

As per the report in Cricbuzz, the nature of the family emergency is unknown, but the sources in the BCCI have said that Kohli will be back in South Africa ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Johannesburg.

Kohli has not played for India since the World Cup defeat against Australia in November at home. He was not part of India’s squad for the T20I series and ODI series against South Africa.

Ruturaj Gaikward has been ruled out of the 2-match Test series after failing to recover from the finger injury. “Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series with ring finger fracture,” a source was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.

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“(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 BCCI had said before the third ODI.

Gaikwad, who has played six ODIs and 19 T20Is is yet to make his Test debut for India.

Team India has earlier lost Mohammed Shami due to an ankle injury. Despite being named in the squad, he didn’t leave with the contingent as the fast bowler remained under the watch of BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

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The intra-squad game will end on Friday with the red ball regulars in Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah looking impressive along with Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur. The likes of Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran were decent as well.