New Delhi: In a setback to India ahead of the three-match T20I series against the West Indies, vice-captain KL Rahul and all-rounder Axar Patel have been ruled out due to injuries, the BCCI said in a statement.
Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda will replace them in the squad. The series will begin in Kolkata from February 16.
The statement said KL Rahul had suffered a hamstring injury while fielding in the second ODI on February 9. Axar has not fully recovered from his shin injury that had forced him to miss the South Africa tour, the BCCI said. The spinner had also recently contracted Covid-19.
"Rahul sustained an upper left hamstring strain during fielding in the 2nd ODI on 9th February 2022 while Axar has resumed the final stage of his rehabilitation after recently recovering from Covid-19. They will now head to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for further management of their injury," said the BCCI in a statement.
"The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Hooda as replacements," it further said..
Both Gaikwad and Hooda are also part of the squad picked for the ongoing ODI series against West Indies in Ahmedabad.
Rahul and Axar's fitness issues have also raised questions over their availability for the home series against Sri Lanka starting February 25.
Rahul had missed the first ODI to personal commitments before returning for the second game where he hit a fluent 49 in a winning cause.
India's T20I squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Mohd. Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda.