New Delhi: India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan was on Sunday ruled out for the remainder of India's tour of England, bringing an end to the suspense over his injury that turned out to be a right ankle impingement in addition to the right hamstring strain.
"Zaheer Khan is suffering from a recurrent right hamstring strain and a right ankle impingement. He will require a surgery for his ankle, followed by intensive rehabilitation for both the ankle and hamstring," said the BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan in a media release on Sunday.
Zaheer Khan takes a walk along the boundary during the first Test against England at Lord's
"He will need at least 14-16 weeks to recover completely. He will, therefore, not be able to participate in the ongoing Test series and subsequent T20 international and ODI series against England," the statement further read.
The Indian board also took no time to name Zaheer's replacement, giving a new lease of life to out-of-favour left-arm pacer RP Singh, who will be part of the Test squad as well as the subsequent limited-overs series.
"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has picked RP Singh as his replacement in the Indian squad for the Test series, the T20 International and ODI series. RP Singh will join the team at the earliest."
Zaheer is now the third Indian to be ruled out of the series, after Harbhajan Singh (abdominal strain) and Yuvraj Singh (finger fracture). Zaheer had been trying to recuperate from the hamstring strain he suffered on the first day of the tour during the Lord's Test.
The four-month layoff also puts serious doubts over Zaheer's selection for the Australian tour, which begins at the end of this year.
India trail 0-2 in the four-match Test series against England, with the third Test beginning at Edgbaston from August 10.
