India's [ Images ] pace spearhead Zaheer Khan [ Images ] would be out of action for six weeks due to an ankle injury that kept him out of the second Test against Australia [ Images ] which started in Sydney [ Images ] on Wednesday.

"Zaheer Khan is out for six weeks due to his injury," informed selection panel chief Dilip Vengsarkar to reporters in Mumbai [ Images ] before rushing into the Cricket Board's headquarters for a meeting presumably with other BCCI officials.

The injury to the left arm pacer effectively rules him out of the four-Test series against Australia, which India is trailing 0-1 after their massive defeat at Melbourne [ Images ]. 

The third and fourth Tests are to be held at Perth and Adelaide later this month.

Before the BCCI announces a replacement, the Board would consider the status of right arm pacer S Sreesanth [ Images ] who is recovering from a shoulder injury that ruled him out when the team for Australia was named in Bangalore on December 12. 

Munaf Patel [ Images ] is also likely to be considered even though the lanky pacer missed the flight to Australia as the selectors wanted him to play domestic cricket.

Munaf did not play in Maharashtra's [ Images ] last two Ranji Trophy Elite Division league ties and officials here said they have been uanble to trace the pacer.