Ishant out of first ODI

Ishant Sharma, the Indian fast bowler, has been ruled out of the first ODI against England in Rajkot on Friday due to an ankle sprain. Ishant, who was Man of the Series in the recent Test series against Australia, has been advised five days' rest, a BCCI release said.

"He is undergoing his rehabilitation at present and is making good progress," N Srinivasan, the BCCI secretary, said. "Hence he would not be available for the first ODI against England."

Apparently, the team management had informed the BCCI that Ishant aggravated the injury due to his "bowling overload" during the last Test against Australia in Nagpur, which India won by 172 runs to clinch the four-Test series 2-0. Ishant bowled 35 overs in the final Test and took four wickets to complete a highly successful series in which he sent down 138 overs for 15 wickets.

The team management was planning to get MRI scan done on Ishant as a preventive measure and assess the injury in consultation with Mumbai-based doctor Anant Joshi, who is a member of the ICC's medical committee.

Ishant's injury will hit India's fast-bowling options for the series opener against England, leaving captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni with Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and Munaf Patel. Zaheer bowled 145.5 overs during the four-Test series against Australia. Munaf and RP Singh last played for India in August against Sri Lanka in Colombo during the five-ODI series, a series that Ishant missed.

The Indian team has reached Rajkot and is scheduled to have a practice session in the afternoon, while England is arriving in the evening and will have their nets on Thursday.