Ankle injury rules out India paceman Zaheer Khan for rest of England tour

Zaheer is also suffering from a hamstring strain and could be out until November.

Zaheer Khan, left, troubled the England batsman in the first innings of the first test at Lord's, but a hamstring injury has prevented him playing any more part in the series which India trail 2-0.
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LONDON // Zaheer Khan, India's injured pace bowler, has been ruled out of the remainder of his side's tour of England after being told he requires ankle surgery.

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Zaheer, who is also suffering from a hamstring strain, is expected to undergo surgery that could keep him out until November.

"Zaheer Khan is suffering from a recurrent right hamstring strain and a right ankle impingement," read a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

"He will require a surgery for his ankle, followed by intensive rehabilitation for both the ankle and hamstring. He will need at least 14-16 weeks to recover completely.

"He will therefore not be able to participate in the current Test series and subsequent T20 International and ODI [one-day international] series againstEngland."

The 32-year-old Zaheer, a crucial part of the Indian Test team which are 2-0 down in the four-match series against England, picked up the injury in the first game at Lord's and missed the second in Trent Bridge.

He was able to bowl just three overs against Northamptonshire before leaving the field for treatment Saturday, prompting the India team manager Anirudh Chaudhry to place doubt on his availability for the third Test at Edgbaston, starting on Wednesday.

India have called up fellow left-armer RP Singh for the remainder of the tour.

The 25-year-old Singh last played a Test match in April 2008 and an ODI in September 2009.

"The all-India senior selection committee has picked RP Singh as his replacement in the Indian squads for the test series, and the T20 international and ODI series," Srinivasan said. "RP Singh will join the team at the earliest."

India have been grappling with injuries during the tour and missed their top opening batsman Virender Sehwag in both tests because of a shoulder injury.

Sehwag's regular opening partner, Gautam Gambhir, missed the second test with a bruised arm which forcing a batting order reshuffle.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and batsman Yuvraj Singh have also been ruled out for the rest of the tour after suffering injuries during the second Test at Trent Bridge.

Left-hander Yuvraj fractured his index finger after he was hit by a short-pitched delivery from the England seamer Tim Bresnan while Harbhajan suffered an abdominal muscle strain in the same match.