Heinrich Klaasen replaces Rudi Second for South Africa's Tests against India

While preparing in the hopes of playing his first Test match later this year, South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Rudi Second has injured himself and will require surgery to get better. As a result, the 30-year old, who was one of the new faces in the squad to play a three-Test series against India in October, has now been replaced by Heinrich Klaasen, a like for like swap.

A CSA press release made the news public on Saturday, although it did not mention any details of Second's injury, only stating that it happened while he was with the South Africa A squad that is due to play India A in both limited-overs and four-day cricket later this month.

"Klaasen is part of the one-day squad for the South Africa A tour and he will now be added to the squad in Second's place for the four-day series that will assist his preparation for the Proteas Test series," Corrie van Zyl, CSA acting director of cricket, said.

Second had a decent tour of India with the A squad in 2018, showing he could replicate his domestic form at higher levels as well. Klaasen too is seen as a promising recruit. He made his ODI and T20I debut in February 2018 and was particularly good during the home limited-overs series against India when he led South Africa to victory during a rain-hit Pink ODI in Johannesburg. He is yet to play Test cricket but his first-class career - 65 matches for 3946 runs at an average of 45 - suggests he is a useful force in the middle order.