Quinton De Kock Out Of IPL 10, Big Setback For Delhi Daredevils

South African star Quinton de Kock on Friday was ruled out of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017 due to finger injury after it was revealed that the wicket keeper batsman would need 4-6 weeks to recover from the injury he sustained during the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington. Though, he has been cleared to feature in the third Test against the Black Caps starting from Saturday. The South African batsman is the second casualty for Delhi Daredevils, after another African player JP Duminy pulled out of the cash-rich league season 10 citing personal reasons.

De Kock, 24, has been a key part of the Delhi outfit after joining them in 2014. The South African has been in top form for his country and will be sorely missed by Delhi at the top of the order.

The wicket keeper batsman had injured his right index finger during the second Test in Wellington that ended on March 18, with subsequent scans revealing an injury to the tendon.

Although in some pain on the eve of the Hamilton Test, de Kock was able to bat and catch with strapping and a finger splint. When asked why South Africa were risking de Kock when they have a reserve gloveman in Heinrich Klaasen, South Africa Faf du Plessis explained the occasion was too important to leave de Kock out.

"It's a big game. Quinton is someone who you don't just replace. From my side, I am trying to have Quinton in my team all the time," du Plessis said. "He has had problems with his fingers for quite a while. It's part of being a keeper. It's never nice to catch balls on the fingertips all the time and it's been painful for him for a while," he said.

(With PTI Inputs)