South Africa batsman Rassie van der Dussen is unlikely to join IPL team Rajasthan Royals after failing to obtain a No Objection Certificate from his country's cricket board.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the 32-year-old, who was named as a replacement for England all-rounder Ben Stokes after he was ruled out of the IPL due to a broken finger, was not issued the NOC due to an unspecified injury.
The report, however, said that he had obtained a visa to travel to India, which is battling an unprecedented rise in COVID-19 cases. Interestingly, Van der Dussen, who has scored 628 runs in 20 T20I matches, had regained his fitness after suffering a left quadriceps muscle strain ahead of the third ODI against Pakistan early last month.
He had hit a 36-ball 52 in the fourth and final T20 against Pakistan on April 16. The South African had gone unsold at this year's IPL auction with a base price of Rs 50 lakh.
In another development, RR has named South African pacer Gerald Coetzee as a replacement for England batsmen Liam Livingstone, who had pulled out of the tournament due to bio-bubble fatigue.
The 20-year-old, who has so far taken nine wickets in eight T20s, has arrived in India and trained with the team on Saturday after completing his mandatory quarantine.
Besides Stokes and Livingstone, Rajasthan are also missing England star pacer Jofra Archer due to an injury, while Australian fast bowler Andrew Tye also flew back citing personal reasons, leaving the franchise with just five overseas players.
With four losses and two wins, Rajasthan are placed at the seventh position in the points table, just above bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad.
