Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the third India-New Zealand Test in Indore after suffering a thumb injury in the second Test in Kolkata, according to a report in ESPNCricinfo on Monday. This could mean a comeback to Test cricket after a two-year gap for veteran opener Gautam Gambhir, who was named in the squad in place of the also-injured KL Rahul before the Kolkata Test.
According to the report, Dhawan was injured after being struck on the thumb twice by New Zealand's left-arm pacer Trent Boult, who bowled a hostile spell on the third day. The opener suffered a "minor fracture" on his left thumb that could sideline him for 15 days. The 30-year-old's form was also under scrutiny before the start of the Test series, and it was Rahul who opened with Murali Vijay in the first Test.
Gambhir played his last Test during India's 1-3 series loss in England in 2014, which was also a comeback for the southpaw. The Delhi batsman was recalled to the squad on the back of strong performances in the Duleep Trophy, where he scored four half-centuries, and led his side, India Blue, to win the trophy.