Promising opening batsman Karun Nair will replace injured Shikhar Dhawan for the third match of the three-Test home series against New Zealand, starting on October 8 in Indore, the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) announced on Monday.
Dhawan was ruled out for the third Test after sustaining a minor fracture on his left hand during the second Test, which India clinched by a whopping 178-run margin.
"The All-India senior selection committee have named batsman Karun Nair as replacement for injured opener Shikhar Dhawan in the Indian team. Dhawan has been ruled out of the third Test of the series against New Zealand after he sustained a minor fracture on his left hand," BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said in a statement.
On Monday, India defeated the Kiwis in the Kolkata Test by 178 runs to clinch the series 2-0.
The hosts also pushed down arch-rivals Pakistan from the numero uno spot in the ICC Test rankings.
Registering a series-clinching comprehensive 178-run win over New Zealand in the Kolkata Test, Team India today pushed down arch-rivals Pakistan from the numero uno spot in the ICC Test rankings.
With Indian players displaying a brilliant all-round performance to trounce the visiting team in the second Test and earn an unassailable lead of 2-0 in three-match series, the hosts shot up to the No. 1 spot of the ICC rankings.
Virat Kohli's men wrapped up the series-deciding victory on the fourth day of the match after setting the Black Caps a mammoth target of 376 runs to chase.
India's win over New Zealand in Kolkata has meant that it will be ranked number one on the ICC Test chart when it is updated at the conclusion of the ongoing series.
India's top spot is guaranteed irrespective of how the third and final Test in Indore, which will be played from 8-12 October, pans out.
Kohli's side had entered the series against New Zealand trailing Pakistan by one point and needed to win the series to reclaim the number one position for the fourth time since the current rankings system was introduced in 2003.
And India achieved this in style when it won the first Test in Kanpur by 197 runs and then dominated the Kolkata Test to romp home with nearly a day to spare.
India has previously been at the top of the table from November 2009 to August 2011 and then briefly during January-February 2016 and in August 2016.
