“I just got a blow (to my finger), so hopefully it will be fine for the next game,” Faf said
Faf du Plessis (Photo: AFP)
South African skipper Faf du Plessis and batsman AB de Villers have been ruled out of ODI and T20Is series against India due to a finger injury.
Faf’s absence would be a massive blow for the hosts as their start batter AB de Villiers was already ruled out from first three ODI matches due to injury.
Faf du Plessis had injured his finger during the opening ODI match between India and South Africa in which he scored his ninth hundred to take the Proteas to 269/8. Following the mediocre target, visitors chased the total with ease and won the match by six wickets.
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“I just got a blow (to my finger), so hopefully it will be fine for the next game,” Faf du Plessis had said in the post-match conference.
However, later it was revealed that Du Plessis had fractured his finger that will require 3-6 weeks to heal. Cricket South Africa will announce the replacement for Faf for the reaming matches will be announced today.
Farhaan Behardien has been called up as du Plessis’ replacement. Also, wicket-keeper batsman Heinrich Klaasen has also been given a maiden call-up to the ODI squad as back-up to first-choice Quinton de Kock.
Du Plessis is now facing a race against time to be fit for the first Test against Australia starting in Durban on March 1. This a huge blow for the Proteas who had earlier lost batting mainstay AB de Villiers for the first three ODIs, also owing to a finger injury sustained during the third Test at Wanderers.
Earlier, De Villiers was ruled out of the first three matches of their six-ODI series against India owing to an injured right index finger.
After their debacle in three-match Test series, Indian cricket team led by Virat Kohli bounce back in the ODI series.
On Thursday, visitors started their six-match One Day International series on a winning note by defeating the hosts by six wickets in Durban.
India have taken the lead of 1-0 in the series.
-With PTI inputs
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