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India's disastrous tour of South Africa took a nightmarish turn on Monday with captain and batting mainstay Rahul Dravid being ruled out of the last two one-day internationals of the five-match series with a finger injury.
Tests revealed that Dravid, who was hit on his finger while batting in the third ODI on Sunday, had sustained a fracture and would not be able to take part in the remainder of the series, which South Africa lead 2-0.
Virender Sehwag will lead the side at Port Elizabeth on November 29 and Centurion on December 3.
Dravid, however, would remain with the team as physio John Gloster's report suggests that he would be fit in time for the first Test beginning on December 15 in Johannesburg.
Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Niranjan Shah said V V S Laxman is being sent to South Africa not as a replacement for the captain but to add stability to the middle order which has not been performing upto their potential in this series so far.
The tour has started on a horrendous note for the Indians, who have been saddled by injuries and poor form which saw them crash to huge defeats in the two matches so far.
Sehwag cut his middle finger before the start of the tour-opening warm-up match in Benoni on November 16 and missed out on the second match in Durban after the first was washed out by rain. Paceman Munaf Patel sat out of the third match yesterday owing to a sore left ankle.
India are already without key ODI player Yuvraj Singh who hurt his knee during Champions Trophy in late October.