Delhi Daredevils’ South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has been ruled out of the 2017 IPL as he is advised rest to nurse his finger injury by the South African team management ahead of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy and the subsequent tour of England.
De Kock, who was doubtful to play in the third Test against New Zealand and the IPL after suffering tendon damage in his right index finger, will now play the third and final Test after passing a fitness Test a day before the start of the match and will miss the IPL to recover from his injury which usually takes four to six weeks to get back to normal.
Speaking to the media on the eve of the match, South African skipper Faf du Plessis ruled out the possibility of resting De Kock ahead of the crucial match. He also admitted that the gloveman is having problems with his fingers for quite a while and pointed out that the cold in New Zealand made things worse for De Kock.
“It's a big game. Quinton is someone who you don't just replace. From my side, I am trying to have Quinton in my team all the time. He has had problems with his fingers for quite a while. It's part of being a keeper. It's never nice to catch balls on the fingertips all the time and it's been painful for him for a while. Maybe the cold New Zealand conditions make it worse. It's hurting for him a bit more now but because it's a big game, resting him for someone else is not an option,” Faf said.
South African team manager, Mohammad Moosajee, who is also a doctor confirmed that De Kock won’t be a part of the IPL as he needs at least four to six weeks to recover from the injury. He also added that whenever he catches the ball, the stress is felt in the area which is troubling De Kock and if he doesn’t rest his fingers, there are chances of aggravating the injury, which could see him miss the Champions Trophy and the England tour.
"There is every likelihood he will miss the IPL because he will need at least four to six weeks recovery. Being a wicketkeeper, every time he catches the ball, the stress goes onto that area. The risk is that if he doesn't have that four to six weeks rest, and he further aggravates it, it could jeopardise his participation in the Champions Trophy. With that in mind and with the England tour after that, it is important we give him the allocated time to recover for the injury," Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa's team manager, who is also a medical doctor, said.
De Kock is the second overseas player in the Delhi Daredevils squad after his South Africa teammate JP Duminy to pull out from the IPL, which is scheduled to begin in a few days.
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