Injuredu00a0Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth will not be part of India's three-Test series in the West Indies later this month. Experts will view it as an obvious blow and a huge addition to the list of injured Indian cricketers.


Zaheer Khan celebrates the wicket of England skipper Michael Vaughan
during Day Four of the second Test at Trent Bridge on July 30, 2007
Pic/Getty Images

Those who see the bright side will believe that the rest they are forced to take will auger well for the all-important England tour where Mahendra Singh Dhoni's champions will have to face the Ashes-winning Poms in a four-Test series next month. On the flip side though, the pace duo's presence in the Caribbean would have been a good tune-up for England. For, there is no substitute for match practice. However, the fact remains Zaheer and Sreesanth will not tour the West Indies.


S Sreesanth

"Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth have been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series against the West Indies. Zaheer has a right ankle problem, and Sreesanth has a right elbow problem. Both players will require some time off for rehabilitation. Abhimanyu Mithun and Praveen Kumar have been named as their replacements in the Test squad," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in its customary brief press release.

It is critical that Zaheer and his fellow paceman are fully fit for England, a country they will relish touring again considering India's success on the last tour there in 2007 when India won a Test series in England for the first time after 1986.

Losing England captain Michael Vaughan was gracious in defeat; also forthcoming in praise for Zaheer and fellow southpaw RP Singh. "We've been asked different questions against the left-arm angles which we haven't seen before. It is important to learn from them," said Vaughan at the conclusion of the third Test at the Oval in August, 2007.

Zaheer and Sreesanth ended the Test series with 18 and nine wickets respectively. Zaheer single-handedly bowled India to victory in the second Test at Trent Bridge where Dravid's Indians won by seven wickets.