India vs South Africa | AB de Villiers ruled out of T20I series with knee injury
AB de Villiers has been ruled out of the T20I series between India and South Africa due to a knee injury that he had sustained ahead of the sixth ODI in Centurion. The injury aggravated during the course of the last ODI and has resulted in him completely missing out on the three-match T20I series.
"AB de Villiers will not be able to take part in the T20 International series against India due to a left knee injury. He suffered a blow to the knee while batting ahead of the fifth ODI, and although he passed a fitness test on Friday, the injury worsened significantly throughout the match, " South Africa's team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee, said in a press release, reported Cricbuzz.
“The Cricket South Africa medical team has advised he is given a period of rest and rehabilitation to make a full recovery ahead of the four-match series against Australia starting next month.”
It has again come as yet another huge setback for the hosts, who have already been rocked by the absence of Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock. Now, with de Villiers not participating in the T20I series, it will be a very difficult thing for the hosts to counter the Indian bowlers, who have already proved their pedigree in the ongoing tour.
Earlier, de Villiers had missed the first three ODIs of the recently concluded ODI series because of an injury to his right index finger that he picked up during the third Test against India in Johannesburg.
While the first T20I of the series is going on at the Wanderers today, the second and third T20Is will be played on February 21 in Centurion and on February 24 in Cape Town respectively.