Seamer all-rounder Shardul Thakur suffered a blow on his left shoulder while batting during India’s nets session at Centurion on Saturday.

The severity of the injury is yet to be known, but one isn’t too sure if Shardul will be available for the final Test against South Africa beginning on January 3 at Newlands in Cape Town.

Shardul was in considerable discomfort and couldn’t bowl during training. He was hit on the left shoulder while facing throwdowns from fielding coach T. Dilip.

Shardul copped the blow around 15 minutes into the session when a throwdown kicked up from a length. It had Shardul in a tangle, almost similar to what happened during India’s second innings of the first Test when pacer Kagiso Rabada extracted extra bounce to effect the India all-rounder’s dismissal.

On Saturday too, Shardul couldn’t fend the short ball that hit his leading shoulder and he immediately shrieked in pain. He continued to bat though.

Once he finished batting, the Indian team physio put an ice-pack sling around his shoulder as Shardul didn’t take any further part in the training session.

Shardul was a disappointment in the opening Test as he gave away 101 runs in 19 overs, taking just a wicket. With the bat too, he wasn’t very effective.

India do have options in the form of quicks Navdeep Saini and Avesh Khan if Shardul isn’t match-fit by the time the final Test gets underway.

Coetzee out

Proteas pacer Gerald Coetzee will miss the Cape Town Test after developing pelvic inflammation in the series opener at the SuperSport Park in Centurion. He was released from the squad as a precautionary measure, Cricket South Africa said on Saturday.

In Coetzee’s absence, left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj is expected to feature in the XI.

The 23-year-old Coetzee had left the field on Day III, which also happened to be the last day of the first Test, bowling only five overs in India’s second innings.

Three different captains for SL

Colombo: Sri Lanka appointed all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga as the captain of their T20 side on Saturday ahead of their series against Zimbabwe next month, while batter Kusal Mendis will lead their ODI team.

Charith Asalanka was named as deputy to both Hasaranga and Mendis, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement.

Dimuth Karunaratne remains Test captain.

Hasaranga will make his comeback after missing the Asia Cup and the 50-over World Cup earlier this year after picking up an injury in the Lanka Premier League in August.

He succeeds regular skipper Dasun Shanaka who was named in their preliminary squads for three ODIs and as many T20Is against Zimbabwe at home, starting January 6.

Mendis took over the ODI captaincy two games into the World Cup in India after Shanaka was ruled out due to a thigh injury.

Sri Lanka had a disappointing tournament, finishing ninth out of 10 teams with two wins from nine games.

The SLC had responded by naming a new selection committee led by former opener Upul Tharanga that also includes former player Ajantha Mendis.

It also appointed former captain and batting great Sanath Jayasuriya as cricket consultant on a year-long deal.

Reuters