India pacer Deepak Chahar was on Thursday ruled out of the series-deciding third ODI against the West Indies owing to a back injury. He will be replaced by Navdeep Saini. The series is locked 1-1 with the final match to be played here on Sunday.
“Deepak felt mild pain in his lower back following the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. The BCCI medical team examined him and has suggested that the fast bowler needs some rest in order to fully recover,” the BCCI said in a statement. “He has thus been ruled out of the final ODI,” it added.
Saini had an impressive start to his India career during the three-match T20 series against the West Indies in Florida and Trinidad earlier this year. In his first match, he returned figures of 3/17, which included a wicket in his first over and also a wicket-maiden in the last over.
In the third game, he took 2/34 as India whitewashed the West Indies 3-0.
India will hope for a similar performance from the 27-year-old on Sunday, provided he is named in the playing XI.
