India’s vice-captain and opening batter, Rohit Sharma, has been ruled out of the three-Test series against South Africa owing to an injury he picked up during a training session in Mumbai.

Sharma’s absence is a blow to the Indian team, given his recent performances in England, where he scored 368 runs, including a match-winning 127 (256) that gave India the lead over England.

Uncapped Indian batter, Priyank Panchal, is likely to be included in the Indian squad, seeing that he played 100 first-class games at an average of 45.52, including 24 centuries and 25 half-centuries.