IND vs SA 1st Test: Virat Kohli returns to India, Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out due to injury

Veteran India batter Virat Kohli has returned to India due to a family emergency, but it is expected that he will join the squad before the first Test match against South Africa, starting on Tuesday (December 26).

Centurion (South Africa): Former India skipper Virat Kohli has flown back to India because of a family emergency, but the senior batter is expected to be back in time for the first Test against South Africa, starting next week.

After a shocking defeat in the ODI World Cup 2023, Virat Kohli was set to play for India for the first time and had traveled to South Africa as part of the India's Test squad for the two match series, which is scheduled to start from December 26.

"Virat Kohli has returned to India due to a family emergency. But he will be back before the start of the first Test," a BCCI source told PTI on Friday. However, no one in the BCCI however could confirm the nature of the emergency.

"Virat had already left on Thursday and it was pre decided. Virat didn't take part in the three day intra squad match where India and India A players took part," the source added.

It is understood that the 35-year-old had already taken permission from BCCI brass about his short leave and it is assumed that he will be back in the Rainbow Nation on December 24 and will take part in the pre-match training. Kohli had missed out on a Test match during the last away series in South Africa due to a back injury.

Meanwhile, India's swashbuckling opener Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series, which is a part of the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, after fracturing his finger. "Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series with ring finger fracture," the source added.

Gaikwad had injured his finger while trying to take a catch during the second ODI against South Africa earlier this week and had missed the third ODI due to an injury.

"Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series with ring finger fracture," the source told on Gaikwad's retirement.

The 26-year-old was named in the Test squad for the first time, but will miss out on the opportunity. With his maiden T20I century against Australia in Guwahati, the right-hand batter was included in both India's ODI and T20I squad for the South Africa tour.