Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has been ruled out of the remainder of the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.

Samson had hurt his left knee while attempting to field a ball near the boundary ropes during the first T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. His knee had gotten stuck to the ground and a divot came off as he tried to slide, in vain to prevent a boundary.

“He was taken for scans and a specialist opinion this afternoon in Mumbai by the BCCI Medical Team and has been advised rest and rehabilitation,” BCCI said in a statement.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Jitesh Sharma as replacement for Sanju Samson. Vidarbha’s Jitesh Sharma, who plays for Punjab Kings in the IPL. In 71 T20s, he has scored 1787 runs at a strike rate of close to 148.0.

India play the second T20I against Sri Lanka in Pune on 5th January, 2023.

Samson was anyway not named in the ODI squad for the three matches to follow the T20IS.

India’s updated squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (Captain), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.

India’s updated squad for Sri Lanka ODIs: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Hardik Pandya (VC), Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh.

India have a 1-0 lead in the series after debutant pacer Shivam Mavi led an inspired bowling with his four wickets as India edged out Sri Lanka by two runs in a thrilling opening Twenty20 international on Tuesday.

Mavi returned figures of 4-22 to help the hosts bowl out Sri Lanka for 160 in a victory target of 163 and lead the three-match series 1-0 in Mumbai.

The 24-year-old Mavi was ably supported by fellow pace bowlers Umran Malik and Harshal Patel as they picked up two wickets each.

Axar Patel, a left-arm spinner, held his nerve in a tense last over when Sri Lanka needed 12 for a win and Chamika Karunaratne gave India a scare with his unbeaten 23.

Samson had been deployed as an outfielder with Ishan Kishan donning the gloves.

(With AFP inputs)