Virat Kohli returns home due to family emergency, but will be available for 1st Test against South Africa: Report

Virat Kohli has returned to India due to a family emergency but is expected to rejoin the Indian squad ahead of the first Test against South Africa, scheduled to begin on December 26 in Centurion. 

The senior batter, who had traveled with the team for the two-Test series, is anticipated to be back well in time for the crucial opening match. 

"Virat Kohli has returned to India due to a family emergency. But he will be back before start of the first Test," a BCCI source told PTI on December 22. 

Meanwhile, Indian batter Ruturaj Gaikwad will miss the series after sustaining a finger fracture, posing a setback for the team in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.

Earlier, the BCCI had dropped wicket-keeper batsman Ishan Kishan from the Test team due to a personal concern. For the two-match series, KS Bharat has been appointed as his substitute.

It has also been revealed that India's opening batter Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series due to a finger fracture.  "Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out of the two-Test series with ring finger fracture," PTI quoted a BCCI source as saying.

Gaikwad injured his finger while attempting to take a catch during the second ODI against South Africa earlier this week. The BCCI has yet to name a substitute for the inexperienced hitter.

India is set to welcome back several key players, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, for the upcoming Test series against South Africa. However, Virat Kohli's return has been temporarily delayed due to a family emergency, causing him to travel back to India.

While the nature of the emergency remains undisclosed, Kohli is expected to rejoin the team before the commencement of the Test series. Despite his absence from recent white-ball matches, Kohli has made himself available for the Test series, contributing to India's efforts in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle.

Indian team 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)

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