Vernon Philander ruled out of Test series against India

Bengaluru: South Africa on Thursday received a severe jolt ahead of the second cricket Test with pacer Vernon Philander being ruled out for rest of the series after he suffered multiple ligament injuries in his left ankle.

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South Africa called up Kyle Abbott to replace Philander and he will join the squad on Friday, tweeted Cricket South Africa.

"Phillander has undergone treatment at our hospital. He was treated for a multiple ligament injuries on his left ankle and has been plastered," Hosmat Medical Director Dr Ajit Benedict Royan told PTI here.

"Therefore he will be out of action from playing cricket for next six weeks. He may fly back to South Africa also," he added.

Proteas team manager, Dr Mohammed Moosajee said: “Vernon rolled his left ankle during practice at the stadium in Bengaluru this morning. He was taken to the hospital for an MRI scan which confirmed an ankle ligament tear which will rule him out of the current series against India. He will return back to Cape Town this weekend to be assessed by one of Cricket South Africa’s specialists. At this moment it is still too early to tell but he will be out for a period of at least six to eight weeks. “

“The first Test match against England is six weeks away so it will be a tight schedule to get him ready and rehabilitated to make that Test match. Once he has been assessed back home in Cape Town and a proper programme for physio and rehabilitation has been put into place we will have a clearer understanding,” he concluded.

While the Proteas went about their warm-ups ahead of their training session on Thursday, Philander was seen being carried away off the field after twisting his ankle during a football game.

“Vernon stepped on Dean’s (Elgar) foot by accident in our warm-up. Very freakish accident, to be honest. He is very unlucky,” de Villiers said.

Philander didn’t participate in the team’s training session as he had to go for scans. With the nature and severity of his injury not clear yet, the Proteas wait with bated breath.

“He is sitting upstairs about to go for his scans. So, no one knows exactly what it is like. He limped off the field, but it could be nothing or it could be bad. We are all waiting in anticipation to find out what exactly happened,” added de Villiers.

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