Injured Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul released from India squad

KL Rahul, who had aggravated an injury to his left forearm in the nets in Mohali, has been released from the India squad but is expected to be fit in time for the fourth Test against England in Mumbai on December 8. Allrounder Hardik Pandya has had to leave the team as well, having hurt his right shoulder while training at the PCA Stadium. The BCCI's medical staff have advised him to "consult a specialist to decide the future course of action". No replacements were named by the board in its media release.

Rahul had picked up his problem while batting in the Visakhapatnam Test - which was his comeback from a hamstring injury picked up in September. His career has been a bit stop-start. Soon after making a century in his first Test series, in Sydney, he contracted dengue and missed a one-off match in Bangladesh. He was brought back into the XI when M Vijay was injured in Sri Lanka, but didn't play the home Tests against South Africa. Rahul reclaimed his place and became India's first-choice opener on the tour of the Caribbean, when he made a century and a fifty. His unavailability in Mohali led to Parthiv Patel - on a comeback of his own - opening the batting for India.

Pandya was with the Test squad for the first time, his pace and one-day form impressing the selectors. He was the only uncapped player in the squad by the time he picked up the injury, with Jayant Yadav making his debut in Visakhapatnam and Karun Nair in Mohali.