Bhandari to replace injured Nehra

Ashish Nehra has been ruled out of the rest of the one-day international series between India and Pakistan after injuring the webbing of his left hand. He will be replaced by Amit Bhandari.

Nehra sustained the injury during his last over in the second one-dayer in Rawalpindi, where he took 3 for 44 in the 10 overs he bowled. He had bowled the crucial last over in the first one-dayer at Karachi, and was the pick of the Indian bowlers in the second one.

Amrit Mathur, the media manager of the Indian team, told reporters that Nehra's injury was expected to take around two weeks to heal. Sourav Ganguly, meanwhile, said that Nehra would still be considered for the Test series if he recovered in time.

SK Nair, the secretary of the BCCI, told reporters, "The selectors had already decided that Bhandari would accompany the team if Nehra was found unfit even before the Indian team embarked on the 40-day tour. He was the first-choice replacement." Bhandari is expected to join the Indian squad before the third one-dayer at Peshwar.