Thigh injury rules out Imrul Kayes

Bangladesh opening batsman Imrul Kayes has been ruled out of contention for the one-off Test against India, which starts on Thursday in Hyderabad. Imrul injured his left thigh while fielding on day two of the Bangladeshis` tour match against India A at the Gymkhana ground.

According to BCB media manager Rabeed Imam, it is a recurrence of the same injury that ruled Imrul out of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch last month.

In Imrul`s absence, Soumya Sarkar - who replaced him in Christchurch, opened for the first time in Tests, and scored 86 and 36 - is likely to open alongside Tamim Iqbal in Hyderabad. Bangladesh have not called up an opener as Imrul`s replacement, instead flying in the middle-order batsman Mosaddek Hossain, who played the ODIs and T20s in New Zealand but was overlooked for the Tests.

Imrul`s injury comes as a significant blow to Bangladesh ahead of their first-ever Test on Indian soil. While Imrul`s Test record is modest - 1432 runs at 28.64 - he and Tamim have forged what is by far Bangladesh`s most successful opening partnership. Together, they have scored 2205 runs, and average an impressive 47.93 as a pair with four century stands.

Bangladesh squad: Mushfiqur Rahim (capt & wk), Tamim Iqbal, Sabbir Rahman, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed, Subashis Roy, Liton Das (wk), Mominul Haque, Shafiul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain.

Source: ESPNcricinfo