Dinesh Karthik

Calcutta: Dinesh Karthik has been called up as a backup for Mahendra Singh Dhoni ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Kanpur.

Dhoni probably has a hamstring injury. The India captain in all likelihood will be declared fit, but Karthik has been asked to report as a precautionary measure.

Karthik, the Tamil Nadu captain, was in Dharamshala for the Ranji Trophy Super League match against Himachal Pradesh when he got the call on Sunday afternoon. He last played a Test for India in March, against New Zealand in Napier, after Dhoni opted out due to back spasms.

Dhoni had played an important role in the first Test, scoring a century and adding 224 runs with Rahul Dravid, a partnership that helped India reach 426 in the first innings after a top-order collapse.

Karthik had earlier been called as a backup before the Mohali one-dayer against Australia when both openers, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, became doubtful.