Johannesburg: Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samir Patel will replace uncapped Surrey all-rounder Zafar Ansari, who had dislocated his left thumb during a match against Lancashire, for the upcoming three-match Test series against Pakistan.

Confirming the news, national selector James Whitaker said that Samir Patel was similar to Zafar in terms of cricketing qualities and skills, and added that his experience of performing in sub-continental conditions are being seen as a useful asset by the selectors.