Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was on Monday ruled out of the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka after failing to recover from a knee injury which had forced him out of the drawn second match.
The development means that Tamil Nadu batsman Murali Vijay will yet again open with Virender Sehwag in the match, starting tomorrow at the P. Sara Oval here.
Vijay had scored a half-century in the first innings of the second Test.
In further bad news for India, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who missed Sunday's practice session, is also a doubtful starter, sources in the Indian team management said.
The team management insisted that the Punjab spinner is not injured and has a minor side strain.
Although he has hardly impressed in the Test series, his absence will compound India's problems as they strive to win the Test to draw the series.
Both Gambhir and Harbhajan have also been rested for the tri-series in Sri Lanka also featuring New Zealand.