Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan has been officially ruled out of the First Test against South Africa, commencing on the 5th of January in Cape Town. He has an injured ankle and he won’t be able to participate in the first test.

Shikhar was seen staggering on his way to the airport, with his leg heavily strapped up, and those images had suggested that he could sit out the first test, which has now been confirmed by the BCCI. Murali Vijay and KL Rahul are expected to open the batting for India, but India would severely miss Dhawan’s dangerous batsmanship at the top of the order.

Rahul had suggested on Friday that Dhawan could be the difference between the two teams, as he has the ability to take the game away from the opposition if he gets going.

Reports suggest that Virat Kohli isn’t very happy with Shikhar, as he wasn’t very careful with his body before the all-important tour. Team India has already landed in South Africa and is undergoing extended training sessions in order to get ready for the first Test.

While Shikhar Dhawan’s injury solves the opening combination headache for the Indian skipper, the number 6 position headache still persists.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Indian team will go in with an extra batsman in Rohit Sharma at 6, or opt for Hardik Pandya, so as to provide an extra pacer option.