Virat Kohli returned to India due to family reasons: May go back to South Africa before the match

Virat Kohli returned to India due to family reasons: May go back to South Africa before the match; Ruturaj Gaikwad out of test series

Team India's star batsman Virat Kohli has returned to India from South Africa due to family reasons. Kohli is likely to return to South Africa for the first Test starting in Centurion from December 26, a BCCI source told PTI on Friday.

Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet issued any official statement regarding both the players. But it is reported that Gaikwad has been ruled out due to injury.

Gaikwad's ring finger fractured

According to the source, Rituraj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series due to ring finger fracture. Gaikwad injured his finger while trying to take a catch during the second ODI against South Africa.

Ishaan will not play in the test series against South Africa

Before Gaikwad, wicketkeeper batsman Ishan Kishan and fast bowler Mohammed Shami have also been ruled out of the Test series. Wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan has withdrawn his name from the Test series against South Africa. Due to personal reasons, he sought permission from BCCI to stay in India, which was approved by BCCI.

KS Bharat will now be a part of the squad in place of Ishaan. Apart from Bharat, KL Rahul is the other wicketkeeper in the squad. Before Ishaan, fast bowler Mohammed Shami was out of the Test series due to injury.

Shami was out due to not clearing the fitness test

Mohammed Shami, who took the maximum 24 wickets in the ODI World Cup, has also been out of the Test series. He has an ankle injury and is undergoing treatment since the World Cup. All the players of the squad reached South Africa on 15 December for the Test series, Shami was not included in them. He could not pass the fitness test, so he has been dropped from the squad.

In Shami's absence, Prasidh Krishna may get a chance to make his Test debut. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj will be the remaining 2 pacers in the first test. If the pitch is helpful for fast bowlers then Shardul Thakur can also be the fourth pacer.

India will play 2 matches in the test series Team India has gone on South Africa tour. Before the Test series between India and South Africa, a three-match T-20 series and the same number of ODI series were also played. The T-20 series was drawn 1-1 and the Indian team won the ODI series 2-1. The first match of the Test series will be played from 26 to 30 December, the second Test will be played from 3 to 7 January in 2024.

India's test squad-

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