Indian cricket team superstar Virat Kohli has reportedly returned home due to a family emergency, just days before the start of the first Test against South Africa. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources, however, have confirmed that the iconic batter will be back in time for the first Test, which begins on December 26, against the Proteas in Centurion. Earlier, the BCCI had released wicket-keeper batter Ishan Kishan from the squad for the Test series over a personal matter. KS Bharat was named as his replacement for the 2-match series.

It has also been learned that India’s opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series because of a fracture in his finger. “Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series with ring finger fracture,” a source was quoted as saying by PTI.

Gaikwad had sustained the injury on his finger while trying to take a catch during the second ODI against South Africa earlier this week. The BCCI hasn’t yet named a replacement for the young batter.

The Test series is set to mark the return of Kohli, along with skipper Rohit Sharma, pacer Jasprit Bumrah and a few other members of India’s ODI World Cup squad. Since India’s heartbreaking defeat against Australia in the World Cup final, Kohli, Rohit and some other senior members of the Indian team have been away from cricket.

Virat had missed India’s T20I series against South Africa as well as the white-ball assignments against South Africa. However, he made himself available for the Test series from the start.

It isn’t yet known what the ‘family emergency’ is that prompted Virat to return home just 4 days before the start of the Test series. But, the emergency doesn’t seem to be a complicated one as Kohli has assured the BCCI of his return to the team before the Test series begins.

India’s squad for Tests:Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Prasidh Krishna, KS Bharat (wk)