Thigh injury rules Tamim out of second Test

Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal has been ruled out of the second Test against South Africa in Bloemfontein after aggravating a left thigh injury he sustained during the pre-series warm-up match in Benoni. Tamim played the first Test in Potchefstroom, scoring 39 and 0 in Bangladesh's 333-run defeat.

A scan after the first Test confirmed the scale of the injury, a grade 1 tear that usually takes four weeks to heal. With rehab, Bangladesh are hoping Tamim recovers earlier and returns to fitness in time for the ODI series. As a result of the slim hope, he will stay back with the team in South Africa. Soumya Sarkar is likely to replace him as opener in Bloemfontein.

Bangladesh are already without allrounder Shakib Al Hasan, who has been rested from the Test series. With Tamim now ruled out, Bangladesh will be without their two highest run-getters in the same Test match for the first time since March 2013, when both missed the Galle Test against Sri Lanka.