The England and Wales cricket board confirmed Anderson's absence on Thursday, after the bowler underwent scans on Tuesday.The ECB says Anderson, who is England's leading test wicket-taker, "will do some light fitness work in the coming days" and that he "is hoping to be fit for the second test in Cape Town on Jan. 2."
The first of four tests between England and top-ranked South Africa starts on Saturday.
Related story
Record-breaker Anderson loves the hard graft of test cricket
