Proteas Skipper Smith Out Of ODI Series

Proteas Skipper Smith Out Of ODI Series

Graeme Smith will play no part in the ODI series against India.

©REUTERS/Arko Datta (INDIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images Picture Supplied by Action Images

South African captain Graeme Smith has been ruled out of the One-Day International series against India with the finger injury he picked up ahead of the second Test in Kolkata.

He fractured the little finger of his left hand during practice ahead of the game, and although he played through the pain during the innings-and-57-run defeat, he is to return home for the ODI series, and his place in the squad will be taken by Hashim Amla.

Jacques Kallis will captain the side in Smith's absence for the series which sees matches held in Jaipur, Gwalior and Ahmedabad.

Amla scored 494 runs in three visits to the crease during the Test series, which was drawn 1-1, leading for calls from Cricket South Africa chief executive Gerald Majola for the two countries to create their own Ashes and hold five-match Test series against one another.

“Credit must go to India for getting off the canvas to draw the series. It was nine days of enthralling Test cricket and bodes well for the future of this great form of the game," Majola said in a statement, which began by praising Amla's run-scoring achievements, on CSA's homepage (www.cricket.co.za).

“Considering the exciting nature of this series, perhaps it is time to consider playing a five-match Test series between the two countries, and create our very own Ashes," he added.

South Africa ODI squad: Jacques Kallis (captain), Hashim Amla, Loots Bosman, Johan Botha, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Herschelle Gibbs, Albie Morkel, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Roelof van der Merwe

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