02 February,2009 12:45 PM IST | | PTI
Medium pacer Munaf Patel, who is nursing a groin injury, will leave the tour of Sri Lanka mid-way to return home for rehabilitation and Tamil Nadu paceman Laxmipathy Balaji will replace him in Colombo.
"Patel will take at least 7-10 days to be fully fit. The members of the National Selection Committee decided to send L Balaji to Sri Lanka, following a teleconference (with the team management)," BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement issued today.
"Balaji will fly to Sri Lanka tonight," he said. Munaf's injury was first noticed after the first ODI in Dambulla, where he bowled five overs and conceded 32 runs without taking any wicket.
He missed the second match. India, leading the five-match one-day series 2-0, will play its third tie against Sri Lanka tomorrow and return on February 11.
