Dhoni out of Asia Cup with side strain

MS Dhoni has been ruled out of the Asia Cup in Bangladesh because of a side strain. Virat Kohli will lead India in Dhoni's absence and Dinesh Karthik slots in as the replacement wicketkeeper.

Dhoni suffered a grade-one strain to his left side during the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington and will undergo rehabilitation for ten days. The Indian squad landed in Mumbai today after failing to win a single game in New Zealand.

Kohli has led India in eight ODIs previously, when Dhoni was injured during a tri-series in the West Indies involving Sri Lanka and then rested from a tour of Zimbabwe in July and August 2013. India won seven of those matches. Karthik has not played for India since the tour of Zimbabwe last year either.

India's first game in the Asia Cup is against Bangladesh on February 26. The tournament ends on March 8, and the ICC World Twenty20 begins on March 21, also in Bangladesh.