India’s Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma has suffered a hit on his hand during a net session in Mumbai and the BCCI has summoned India A captain Priyank Panchal as cover for him ahead of the tour of South Africa this month.

As of now, the extent of Rohit’s injury is not very clear after he sustained a hit while taking throw-downs from team’s specialist Raghavendra aka Raghu.

“There are some issues with his hand but the medical team is trying to sort it out,” a source close to the cricketer told PTI.

Meanwhile a BCCI official informed that Panchal, who scored 96 in an A Test match against South Africa A, has been called as cover.

“Panchal has been asked to report at the Mumbai team hotel tonight. He is there as a cover for Rohit. Also because he recently played in South Africa and scored runs, he was asked to join,” the official informed.

Rohit was named as India’s white-ball captain and elevated as the vice-captain in Tests on December 8. India are slated to play three Tests and as many ODIs in South Africa. The tour begins with the first Test on December 26. Rohit was rested for the two-match Test series against New Zealand, which India won 1-0. The right-handed batter returned for the South Africa tour when the selectors named the squad last week. Rohit replaced Ajinkya Rahane as the vice-captain of India in red-ball cricket. The latter, however, managed to hold on to his place in the side.

Rohit’s injury is likely to keep the Indian think tank on their toes as another opening batter Shubman Gill is already ruled out of the South Africa tour with an injury.

Promoted

India’s squad for South Africa Tests: Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj.

(With PTI inputs)