India’s Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma, who sustained a left hamstring injury during a training session in Mumbai on Sunday, has been ruled out of the three-Test series against South Africa beginning at Centurion on December 26.
Priyank Panchal has been named as Rohit’s replacement.
As of now, the extent of Rohit’s injury is not clear. It is not known whether it’s a strain, which is a less serious injury, or a tear, which will have to be graded.
India’s Test squad for South Africa series: Virat Kohli (Capt.), K.L. Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Priyank Panchal, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R. Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, and Md. Siraj.
The schedule:
First Test: Dec. 26 to 30, Centurion (1.30 p.m. IST).
Second Test: Jan. 3 to 7, Johannesburg (1.30 p.m.).
Third Test: January 11 to 15, Cape Town (2 p.m.).
