Delhi seamer Amit Bhandari will replace left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra in the Indian cricket team for the rest of the one-day series in Pakistan, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said on Wednesday.
The decision to send Bhandari was taken after the Board got a request from the team management asking for a replacement for Nehra, who was ruled out of the remaining matches after he split the webbing on his left-hand in the second one-day match at Rawalpindi yesterday.
"The team management today requested for a replacement for Nehra and the selectors have decided to send Bhandari," BCCI secretary and selection committee convenor S K Nair said from Thiruvananthapuram.
"The selectors had already decided that Bhandari would accompany the team if Nehra was found unfit even before the Indian team embarked on the 40-day tour. He was the first choice replacement," Nair said.
He said Bhandari would join the squad at the earliest once his visa formalities were over.
"He should be there before the third one-dayer to be held at Peshawar on March 19," Nair said.
Nehra has been been in and out of the team since sustaining an ankle injury during the World Cup last year.
The gangling pace bowler, who made the trip to Pakistan after proving his fitness by playing in the Duleep Trophy final, was a doubtful starter even for yesterday's match because of a swollen left ankle but recovered to be included in the team at the last minute.
