Cape Town: Having already lost Virender Sehwag to a shoulder niggle, India will now have to do without Gautam Gambhir too in the five-match ODI series against South Africa beginning January 12.
The left-handed opener will, however, bat for India on the fifth day of the third Test at Newlands.
Gambhir, who had to miss out on the Durban Test due to a hand injury, was hit by a Lonwabo Tsostsobe delivery on the left elbow in the first innings here while he was on 91. Gambhir, who did not come to field on Wednesday, was seen sitting with a splint on his arm in the dressing room.
M Vijay, who was added as the 17th member of the ODI squad, will probably open for India in the ODIs now. As it is, with the World Cup starting in February, the team management will not take any chances with key players.
Hence, Sehwag has been given time to recover fully from the shoulder problem. Gambhir, too, will have time to set his injuries right.