Virat Kohli returns home ahead of South Africa Test series due to family emergency; Ruturaj Gaikwad released: Report

Just four days left before the much-awaited two-match Test series between India and South Africa gets underway at the SuperSport Park in Centurion, but the visiting camp incurred two huge blows on Friday afternoon. Opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, who failed to recover from his finger injury, has been ruled out of the contest and hence been released from the squad subsequently, according to a report in Cricbuzz, while former India captain Virat Kohli had to miss the ongoing three-day intra-squad game in Pretoria to fly back home for an emergency.

The report did not mention the exact details of the emergency, but the website has been informed by BCCI sources that Kohli will be back in time for the opening game which starts on December 26. The 35-year-old had in fact left for home, Mumbai, three days back after team management had granted him the permission to skip the intra-squad match. Kohli is expected to join the team on Friday, December 22.

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Gaikwad, on the other hand, had incurred a finger injury during the second ODI match against South Africa earlier this week and hence was ruled out of the third match as well where Rajat Patidar was handed his debut cap. "(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 statement said before the start of the ODI series decider in Paarl. The report mentioned that with Gaikwad having little to no chance of recovering within four days for the opener, the team management, in consultation with the BCCI, released him from the squad.

India had earlier lost Mohammed Shami to an ankle injury. Despite being named in the squad, he did not leave with the contingent as the fast bowler remained under the watch of the BCCI's National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Ishan Kishan, who kept wickets in India's Test series in West Indies, will also not be part of the contest against South Africa as he had "requested the BCCI to be released from the upcoming Test series against South Africa citing personal reasons".

The intra-squad game will conclude 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.