South Africa opener Aiden Markram has been ruled out of his country’s third Test against No.1-ranked India after injuring his right wrist as a consequence of lashing out at a “solid object” during the second Test in Pune.
Markram’s actions are understood to have emanated from being frustrated with his performance, after his dismissal in the second innings consigned him to a pair of ducks in the match.
With South Africa trailing by 326 runs, Markram was trapped lbw from the second ball of the innings and was given out by the on-field umpire. He opted against reviewing the decision, after consulting his opening partner Dean Elgar, only for replays to later show that the ball would have bounced over the stumps. A CSA statement read: “In a moment of frustration with his own performance, he lashed out at a solid object, resulting in his injury.”
#CSAnews #BreakingNews Markram ruled out of third Test match https://t.co/rkjpA5fzGF #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/NXh2ri4zvF
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 17, 2019
The dismissal opened the gates as South Africa crashed to an innings-and-137-run defeat.
“A CT scan of Aiden Markram’s wrist showed a fracture involving the wrist bones,” team doctor Hashendra Ramjee said. “The medical team has therefore ruled him out of the next Test match against India. Arrangements have been made for him to see a specialist on his return to South Africa for further management of the injury.”
The injury cuts short a forgettable India tour for the 25-year-old. Despite having come into the series on the back of some success for the A team, for whom he made 161 in the second four-day game against India A in Mysore. He then followed that effort up with a century against an Indian Board President’s XI in the warm-up match that preceded the Test series, but Markram leaves the tour with just 44 runs from four Test innings.
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Reflecting on the injury, the batsman said: “It’s sad to be going home on this note, and I completely understand what I’ve done wrong and take full accountability for it. It’s unacceptable in a Proteas environment, and to let the team down is what hurts me the most. I’ve learned a lot from this, and the other players, I’m sure, have learned from it as well.
“We understand in sport that emotions run high and sometimes the frustration gets the better of you, as it did for me. But like I said, it’s no excuse. I’ve taken full responsibility for it, I have apologised to the team and, hopefully, I can make it up to them and the people of South Africa soon.”
South Africa have not named a replacement for Markram for the final Test, which begins on October 19 in Ranchi.
