Vijay, Saha out of 3rd Test; Karun, Naman to join Indian team

Mumbai, Aug 23: India's opening batsman Murali Vijay and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha were today ruled out of the 3rd and final Test against Sri Lanka. Karun Nair and Naman Ojha have been named as replacements.

Both Vijay and Saha, who are playing in the 2nd Test which is currently being played at Colombo's P Sara Oval, will miss the last match of the series due to hamstring injuries.

File photo of Karun Nair celebrating a century in Ranji Trophy

Vijay is the second Indian opener to get injured on the tour. Before the start of 2nd Test, Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of series due to hand injury which he sustained during the 1st Test in Galle.

Karnataka's batsman Karun and stumper Naman of Madhya Pradesh are yet to play Test cricket. The third Test starts at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) on August 28.

India set Sri Lanka a 413-run target on the 4th day today. Saha had retired hurt while batting on 5 and returned to resume his innings.

He was 13 not out when India declared the innings at 325/8. However, he did not field in Sri Lanka's 2nd innings and KL Rahul took the wicketkeeping gloves.

"Wriddhiman Saha and Murali Vijay ruled out of the remainder of India's tour of Sri Lanka, Naman Ojha and Karun Nair to join as replacements," the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) secretary Anurag Thakur said in a media release on Sunday (August 23).

"The BCCI medical team confirms that Wriddhiman Saha and Murali Vijay have been ruled out of the remaining part of India's tour of Sri Lanka due to injury.

"Saha has sustained a strain in his lower right hamstring and would require rehabilitation and strength training to recover completely," he added.

Naman Ojha is seen celebrating a Ranji Trophy ton in this file picture

Vijay had missed the opening Test due to the same injury and has now sustained mild recurrence. The right-hander today scored 82.

"Vijay has sustained mild recurrence on his pre-existing injury in his right hamstring and would need further strength training to recover completely," Thakur said.

The 23-year-old Karun recently hit a century in a four-day match against South Africa. His unbeaten 114 in the second innings helped India A draw the game in Wayanad.

In March this year, he scored a triple hundred in the Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu as Karnataka won the title. In 23 first-class matches, he scored 1,724 runs and averages above 50.

Naman, the 32-year-old right-hander has played 2 ODIs and 1 T20I. In 112 first-class games, he has scored over 7,500 runs.

Virat Kohli-led India currently trail 0-1 in the series. They lost the first Test by 63 runs, failing to chase 176.

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