South Africa kept their fingers crossed over Kagiso Rabada's availability for the second Test after their pace spearhead was ruled out of the series opener here with a rib injury, with the team management confirming that he is "undergoing further assessments".
The pace spearhead Rabada injured his rib during the first training session on Tuesday and a series of medical checks ultimately forced a last-minute withdrawal at Eden Gardens.
"So KG (Kagiso Rabada) sustained the injury during the first training session on Tuesday, then he underwent a scan on Wednesday morning, and then underwent a fitness test this morning and was experiencing discomfort and then was ultimately ruled out of the game," the team media manager said.
Asked on his chances of returning for the second Test in Guwahati from November 22, the manager said: "He's still undergoing further assessments with the medical team."
The Proteas had kept the decision on playing Rabada open until Friday morning.
His absence meant Corbin Bosch was drafted into the XI for only his fourth Test to join Marco Jansen and seam bowling all-rounder Wiaan Mulder.