The South African team’s woes tends to be increasing as their skipper Faf du Plessis getting ruled out of the ongoing One-Day International series and the upcoming Twenty20 International series against India due to a finger injury.

Du Plessis sustained the injury during the first ODI in Durban, which Team India won by six wickets, and on further evaluation, it was revealed to be a fracture. All-rounder Farhaan Behardien has been called in as a replacement while Heinrich Klaasen has earned his maiden ODI call-up as a reserve ‘keeper. The skipper for the remaining ODI series will be announced on Saturday.

South Africa, who are already missing the services of the injured AB de Villiers – who was ruled out for the first three games, will be seriously depressed in the absence of their skipper in the ongoing high-intensity series. Du Plessis was the only recognized batsman Proteas batsman who played well against the Indian wrist spinners in the Durban ODI as he scored a century as well.

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Faf tacked the Indian wrist-spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav pretty well as he helped the hosts to reach a par score after their middle order crumbled to India’s wrist spin.

Du Plessis will undergo a period of rest and rehabilitation in order to be fit for the first Test against Australia, set to begin on March 1 in Durban. The fracture is expected to require 3-6 weeks to heal.