Two of India's key players -- opener Virender Sehwag and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh -- have been ruled out of the remaining one-day internationals against Pakistan due to injuries and are returning home.
Sehwag injured his shoulder during the second one-dayer in Rawalpindi, while Harbhajan has failed to recover sufficiently from his finger injury.
Both were ruled out of the remaining two matches at Multan and Karachi and would return back to India, Kiran More, chairman of the selection committee, said in Lahore on Monday.
"Sehwag and Harbhajan are scheduled to go back today or tomorrow morning and there won't be any replacements as there is hardly any time left and there are already 14 players in the squad now," said More, who is here to watch the last three matches of the series.
The decision to send back the two players was taken by the team management in consultation with More in view of the volume of cricket in the near future.
More said the duo needs to be given complete rest to be fit for the upcoming series against England at home.
"Both players are expected to be fully fit for the upcoming Test series against England after sufficient rest and recovery."
Harbhajan, who has a fluid accumulation causing swelling in his right index finger, was expected to be fit for bowling again in the next 7-10 days, while Sehwag's shoulder muscle injury would take two weeks time to heal.
"Sehwag has a left posterior shoulder muscle injury which was re-aggravated while batting and fielding in the Rawalpindi one-dayer.
"The advice has been taken from a specialist and it has been suggested that the injury requires rest for two weeks to allow time for sufficient recovery," he said.
"Harbhajan has suffered an injury to the index finger of his right hand with associated fluid or swelling around the joint. Advice has been taken from an orthopaedic specialist and he has suggested allowing the injury to heal naturally and rest from bowling till [he becomes] pain-free," More said.
"Harbhajan has recovered positively to this point and we are encouraged by his progress. But he is still not ready to bowl in a pain-free state.
"However, at this stage we anticipate a return to full bowling fitness over the next ten days. With this type of injury it is important to allow the maximum amount of recovery time to minimise the risk of re-occurrence," he said.
More from rediff