Rohit Sharma ruled out of 3-Test series against South Africa with finger injury, BCCI names 31-year-old as replacement | Cricket - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Rohit Sharma ruled out of South Africa Tests with injured hamstring, BCCI names 31-year-old batter as his replacement

By, New Delhi
Dec 13, 2021 07:18 PM IST

In a big blow to the Indian cricket team, star batter Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the three-Test series against South Africa starting December 26.

In a big blow to the Indian cricket team, star batter Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the three-Test series against South Africa starting later this month, with BCCI naming India A veteran Priyank Panchal as his replacement. 

Rohit Sharma was India's vice-captain for South Africa Tests. (Getty)
Rohit Sharma was India's vice-captain for South Africa Tests. (Getty)

Rohit, who was appointed the new vice-captain of the Test team, has suffered a hamstring injury while practicing at Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex and will miss all three Tests, commencing December 26 in Centurion. This will be the second successive Test series which Rohit will miss, after being rested for the recently-concluded two-Test series against New Zealand at home. It remains to be seen though, whether the vice-captain will fall back on Ajinkya Rahane.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Also Read | IND vs SA: ‘He always gets injured. Unbelievable’: Mixed reactions on Twitter as fans react to Rohit Sharma's injury

"Team India Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma sustained a left hamstring injury during his training session here in Mumbai yesterday. He has been ruled out of the upcoming 3-match Test series against South Africa. Priyank Panchal will replace Rohit Sharma in the Test squad," the BCCI tweeted.

India will miss the services of Rohit, who, since opening in Tests, has scored, 1462 runs from 14 matches at an impressive average of 58.48 with five centuries. He recently peeled off a match-winning 127 against England at The Oval, his first Test ton away from home. Rohit has been India's highest scorer in Tests this year with 906 runs from 11 matches.

The Indian team has currently entered a three-day quarantine before departing for South Africa on Thursday, December 16. As for Panchal, the 31-year-old batter from Gujarat has been drafted into the main squad for the second time. Panchal was earlier part of India's jumbo squad that faced England at home earlier this year, and along with Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul, is now the third opener in the squad.

Also Read | 'It is upsetting': Former BCCI selector reacts to Shastri's 'what was the logic in having Dhoni, Pant, Karthik' remark

With an impressive First-Class record which has seen him score over 7000 runs in 100 matches, including 24 centuries and a best of 314 not out, Panchal was part of the India A squad that played South Africa A and notched up a score of 96 in the first game.

However, the year when Panchal became a household name in the Indian domestic circuit was back in 2016-17 Ranji Trophy season, when the batter top scored in the tournament with 1310 runs at an average of 87.33. He was instrumental in Gujarat winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title, following which Panchal took over the captaincy following Parthiv Patel's retirement. 

Stay updated with the latest Cricket News, IPL Live Scores, and get exclusive insights with the RR vs DC Live Score, IPL 2024 Schedule, match highlights, and more. Explore a comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and Orange Cap in IPL 2024, check Virat Kohli performance and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times website and app.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On