Faf du Plessis likely to miss T20 opener against India due to knee injury

Faf du Plessis is the captain of South Africa’s T20 side

Faf du Plessis, who is recovering from a knee injury he sustained during training, will begin training at full intensity only by the end of the month. He will recover only days before the start of the T20 series, the side of which he is the captain. Du Plessis has been named in South Africa's squads across all formats despite the niggle, which has kept him out of action since August, reported ESPNcricinfo.

Du Plessis had hurt himself at practice ahead of the home series against New Zealand in August, and did not play either in the T20s or the ODIs. He was told he would be out for up to four weeks, and was advised not to even run. It had been agreed on that du Plessis would be ready in time for the India tour but now, it seems it will be hard for him to recover.

"The injury has responded slower than expected," South Africa's team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee said. "Faf saw a knee specialist in Cape Town last week, where he received a second cortisone injection into the area. This seemed to have worked as he is currently pain-free. However, we need to see how he progresses. The plan is to commence training next week and build up to full intensity by the end of the month."

South Africa have three others with slight injuries – Hashim Amla complained of a chronic neck issue, and was also found to have fractured a bone in his left thumb after the New Zealand series. But Moosajee said "both have settled." Imran Tahir had to return home early from a stint with English county side Nottinghamshire owing to a thigh injury. It was since diagnosed as a hamstring issue and Moosajee said Tahir has "responded well to treatment."

Rilee Rossouw is also out with injury but has been named in the squad, "Healing for this type of injury takes six to eight weeks," Moosajee explained. "Rilee is currently non-weight bearing in a moon boot but he is being assessed weekly in Bloemfontein. A decision will be made as to when he can start full-weight bearing and light running, but the aim is to have him ready for the ODIs."

Venue for Warm up shifted

Politics between the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has forced the BCCI to change the venue of the South Africans' T20 warm-up match on September 29 to Palam.

The South Africans were meant to begin their tour at Feroz Shah Kotla, but the DDCA expressed its inability to host the game in a letter to the BCCI, citing various reasons including the failure to get the requisite permissions from government agencies.

BCCI has asked its ground and pitches committee head Daljit Singh to inspect the Palam ground, which has hosted international teams such as Australia and England in the past.