South Africa batsman AB de Villiers ruled out of entire T20I series against India

@PTI

South Africa batsman AB de Villiers was ruled out of the three-game T20I series because of an injured left knee on Sunday. 

De Villiers was not part of South Africa's playing XI in the first T20I at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, and soon the news came through that not only the first match he was also out for the remainder of the series. 

The right-handed batsman picked up the injury ahead of the fifth ODI, informed a press release from Cricket South Africa. 

"He suffered a blow to the knee while batting ahead of the fifth ODI, and although he passed a fitness test on Friday, the injury worsened significantly throughout the match," Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa's team manager, said.

De Villiers also missed the first three one-dayers of the preceding six-game rubber that South Africa lost 5-1. After regular captain Faf du Plessis and wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton De Kock, the 34-year-old was the third Proteas batsman to be ruled out of the T20 series. 

South Africa next play Australia in the first Test of a four-game rubber at Durban's Kingsmead on March 1, and de Villiers is expected to return to full fitness in time for that game.