India's tour of England has been hit by a significant setback, with all-rounder Nitish Reddy officially ruled out of the remainder of the series due to a knee injury.
The news, confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), deepens India's injury woes ahead of the crucial fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester, starting July 23.
Reddy, who impressed in his two appearances in the series, particularly with his bowling contributions in the Lord's Test, sustained a left knee injury during a gym session on Sunday.
While the exact details of the ligament damage were initially unconfirmed, the BCCI's statement confirmed his withdrawal.
"All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests owing to a left knee injury. Nitish will fly back home and the team wishes him a speedy recovery."
His absence creates a significant headache for the Indian team management, who are already grappling with a growing casualty list.
Young seamer Arshdeep Singh, who was yet to make his Test debut, has also been sidelined for the fourth Test due to a thumb injury sustained in the nets, requiring stitches.
Furthermore, there are ongoing concerns over the fitness of Akash Deep, who picked up a groin niggle in the third Test.
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Reddy's ability to contribute with both bat and ball will be sorely missed as India look to bounce back from their 2-1 deficit in the series.
His promising performances had offered a valuable balance to the side, and finding a suitable replacement to maintain that equilibrium will be a key challenge for captain Shubman Gill and the coaching staff.
The BCCI has moved swiftly to add Haryana seamer Anshul Kamboj to the squad as cover, particularly for Singh's injury.
The mounting injury crisis, however, means India faces a tough selection dilemma as they prepare for a must-win encounter in Manchester.
The focus now turns to how the team will reconfigure its attack and batting line-up to cope with these unexpected absences and keep their hopes of squaring the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy alive.