India vs New Zealand 3rd Test: Shikhar Dhawan ruled out

Kolkata: India opener Shikhar Dhawan was on Monday ruled out of the third Test against New Zealand at Indore with a minor fracture on his left thumb, which was hit twice by New Zealand pace spearhead Trent Boult during the second match. Shikhar, who was hit on his left thumb twice on the third day of the Test yesterday and was taken to a city hospital for scans, has been recommended 15 days rest, which effectively rules him out of the third and last Test, starting October 8. “A very minor fracture has occurred and he has been recommended 15 days rest, which effectively rules him out of the next Test,” said India’s media manager after India posted a 178-run win over New Zealand in the second Test here and took an unassailable 2-0 lead in three-Test series. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata 

“Selectors have been informed about his status,” he added. Yesterday, the left-handed opener took blows on his bottom hand thumb twice with the ball rising awkwardly. He survived some anxious moments, managing to open his account after 14 balls, and the swollen thumb had to be taped. He was soon rushed to a city hospital for x-ray. He did not take the field today when New Zealand were batting in the second innings.

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India pulled off a brilliant all-round performance to trounce New Zealand by 178 runs in the second Test to clinch the series with an unassailable 2-0 lead which also propelled them to the top of the ICC rankings dethroning arch-rivals Pakistan. Virat Kohli’s men wrapped up the series-deciding victory on the Fourth day of the match after setting the Black Caps a mammoth target of 376 runs to chase.

The visitors showed some spark to start with but their chase floundered in the post-tea session and the side was bowled out for 197 in 81.1 overs in what was India’s 250th home Test. The home team had earlier finished its second innings at 263 in 76.5 overs.  Following Rohit Sharma’s 82-run knock yesterday, Wriddhiman Saha also picked up his second successive half-century of the match by scoring a 120-ball 58, laced with half a dozen fours.