India forced to send replacements as injuries pile up ahead of England Test series

Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, and Avesh Khan ruled out of tour

Shubman Gill, right, has been ruled out of the India-England Test series. Sportzpics for BCCI

The Indian team has suffered a series on injury setbacks ahead of the five-Test series in England, with the board forced to send in replacements.

Batsman Shubman Gill, all-rounder Washington Sundar, and fast bowler Avesh Khan have been ruled out of the Test series, reducing the options at the disposal of captain Virat Kohli.

The Indian board said Sundar had suffered a finger injury while Khan fractured his thumb while fielding in a warm-up match last week. Gill, meanwhile, had a stress reaction on his left leg during India's World Test Championship final defeat to New Zealand last month and had since returned home.

To make up for the loss of personnel, batsmen Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav have been named as injury replacements.

Both players are currently in Sri Lanka playing in the T20 leg of the limited-overs tour. It was not immediately clear whether they will take part in the final two Twenty20 matches in Colombo; Yadav had played a key role in India's win in the first T20 on Sunday.

Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has recovered from Covid-19 with two negative tests and has started preparations for the series which starts on August 4 in Nottingham.

Bowling coach Bharat Arun, wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran have completed self-isolation in London and joined the squad in Durham, the board added.

Kohli's Test side were given a break after the WTC final in Southampton and have remained in England. Pant did not stay in the team hotel during that period and tested positive on July 8. Net bowler Dayanand Garani also tested positive with Arun, Saha and Easwaran were identified as contacts and went into 10 days of isolation.