Irfan replaces Vinay Kumar in squad for Lanka series

Baroda all-rounder Irfan Pathan [ Images ] will replace Karnataka [ Images ] fast bowler R Vinay Kumar in India's squad for the tour of Sri Lanka [ Images ].

Vinay suffered a Grade I right hamstring injury while training on July 12 and had to be withdrawn from the squad that will play five One-Day Internationals and a Twenty20 [ Images ] match on the tour, which commences with the first ODI on July 21 at Hambantota.

"R Vinay Kumar suffered a Grade I right hamstring injury while training on 12th July, 2012. He will hence not be available for the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka. He is expected to regain match-fitness in three weeks," read a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Friday.

India will be without the services of ace bstamsn Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ], who opted out of the series.

Manoj Tiwary and Ajinkya Rahane [ Images ], who impressed during the last edition of the Indian Premier League, were named in the 15-member Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led squad, as were pacer Ashok Dinda [ Images ], leg-spinner Rahul Sharma and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Pragyan Ojha [ Images ], who replaced out-of-form all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja [ Images ], is the third spinner in the squad.

Virat Kohli [ Images ] is Dhoni's deputy on the tour.

The squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni [ Images ] (captain), Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir [ Images ], Virender Sehwag [ Images ], Suresh Raina [ Images ], Rohit Sharma [ Images ], Ajinkya Rahane, Zaheer Khan [ Images ], Irfan Pathan, R Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, Manoj Tiwary, Umesh Yadav, Rahul Sharma, Pragyan Ojha.