Injured Faf du Plessis ruled out of ODI/T20I series

South African batsman Faf du Plessis plays a shot during the first One Day International cricket match between South Africa and India at Kingsmead cricket ground on February 1, 2018 in Durban. Pic/AFP

South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis was today ruled out of the ongoing ODI series and the upcoming Twenty20 Internationals against India owing to a finger injury, a massive blow to the home side which lost the first one-dayer in Durban. Du Plessis was injured during the Durban ODI in which he scored his ninth hundred to take the Proteas to 269/8. India chased down that total with ease winning by six wickets and taking a 1-0 lead.

"I just got a blow (to my finger), so hopefully it will be fine for the next game," du Plessis had said in the post-match conference on Thursday. However, further assessment revealed that he had sustained a fracture that will require 3-6 weeks to heal, thus ruling him out of the remaining five ODIs and three T20Is. A replacement captain for the rest of the limited-overs' schedule against India will be named Tomorrow, just 24 hours before the second ODI here. 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.

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