Virat Kohli returns home due to family emergency, Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of Tests vs South Africa: Report

Veteran India batter Virat Kohli has returned home due to a family emergency ahead of the Test series against South Africa that begins in Centurion on 26 December. According to a report in Cricbuzz, the nature of emergency in Kohli’s family is not known, but the sources in the BCCI have said that Kohli would be back in South Africa head of the Boxing Day Test in Centurion. Virat Kohli has not played for India since the Men in Blue’s heartbreaking defeat to Australia in the ODI World Cup final in November. He was not part of India’s squads for the T20I series and ODI series against South Africa. Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-match Test series after failing to recover from a finger injury. “Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series with ring finger fracture,” a source was quoted bas saying by news agency PTI. “(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 had said before the third ODI. Gaikwad, who has played six ODIs and 19 T20Is is yet to make his Test debut for India.