Published on: Nov 18, 2025 10:23 pm IST
The development comes just days before the second and final Test match of the series, scheduled to take place at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium.
South Africa‘s hero in the opening Test match against India last week in Kolkata, Simon Harmer, suffered a worrying injury on his right shoulder and was taken to the hospital, according to a media report. The development comes just days before the second and final Test match of the series, scheduled to take place at Guwahati’s Barsapara Stadium.
Harmer was named Player of the Match in the series opener after taking four wickets in each innings, finishing with 8 for 51. His efforts powered South Africa to a 30-run win over India, their first victory on Indian soil in 15 years.
According to a report in RevSportz, Harmer suffered a shoulder injury, although the extent of the blow is yet to be determined. He was taken to a private hospital in Kolkata on Tuesday for further medical examinations. The reports are awaited, hence it will be too early to say if Harmer will be available for the second Test against India. The bowler had incurred the injury while fielding during the first Test in Kolkata.
Earlier on Tuesday, India held an optional training session in Kolkata, where the home team unleashed a rare bowler to counter South Africa’s spin challenge in the final Test. Little-known ambidextrous Bengal spinner Kaushik Maity was called up to the nets, where he seamlessly filled a dual role. He bowled off-breaks to left-handed batters – Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja and Devdutt Padikkal, and left-arm spin to Dhruv Jurel, the only right-handed batter who was present.
Heading into the final Test, India too are sweating over the availability of their captain, Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck spasm on Day 2 of the series opener. He was discharged from the hospital on Sunday but has been advised to rest for the next few days and is therefore unlikely to travel to Guwahati for the finale.
India summoned all-rounder Nitish Reddy from Rajkot, midway through his India A series against South Africa A, as an emergency replacement. He reached Kolkata on Monday.
