Calcutta: Laxmipathy Balaji will replace the injured Munaf Patel for the ODI series in Sri Lanka. Munaf has a groin injury and will return home for rehabilitation.

“Munaf will take at least 7-10 days to be fully fit. The members of the national selection committee decided to send Balaji to Sri Lanka, following a teleconference (with the team management),” BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan said in a statement.

[“I am very happy. At the moment, I have been bowling well and confident of my performance and giving 100 per cent… I have not really set any target. I only want to bowl to my potential and show improvement and consistency. Recall to the team is a great boost to me,” Balaji said in Chennai, reports PTI.]

Balaji last played for India in an ODI in 2005 in Sri Lanka before a stress fracture forced him out. He returned to first-class cricket this season after a back surgery and a remodelled action. He was instrumental in taking Tamil Nadu into the semi-finals with 36 wickets from seven games at 17.50.

Munaf’s injury was noticed after the first ODI in Dambulla and he did not play the second match. “Dhoni said on Sunday that Munaf had slipped and fallen during warm-up before the first game. The injury must have started then,” team manager Prakash Dixit said.

An MRI scan was done on Sunday. Munaf has been known to break down with injuries in the middle of a series.

His fitness has remained an area of major concern for the past couple of years and the latest injury proves there’s been no improvement.