NEW DELHI, July 13: Fast bowler Irfan Pathan has replaced injured Vinay Kumar in India's squad for the upcoming series of limited-overs matches in Sri Lanka, the country's cricket board announced on Friday.

“Vinay Kumar suffered a Grade I right hamstring injury while training.

“He will hence not be available for the forthcoming tour of Sri Lanka,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement.

“The selection committee has named Irfan Pathan as his replacement in the Indian squad.”

Left-arm pace bowler Irfan Pathan has so far bagged 165 wickets in 115 One-day Internationals.

India will play five One-day Internationals in Sri Lanka, starting in Hambantota on July 21, plus a one-off Twenty20 match on August 7.

Indian batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar, the world's leading scorer in both Test and one-day cricket, has already opted out of the tour.—AFP