India bowler Zaheer Khan out of England Test series

Zaheer managed just three overs in Saturday's tour match against Northants

India's pace bowler Zaheer Khan will miss the rest of the England tour with ankle and hamstring injuries.

A statement from the Indian cricket board said: "He will need at least 14-16 weeks to recover completely."

RP Singh has been called up but faces a race to be ready for the third Test, starting at Edgbaston on Wednesday.

India during the Trent Bridge defeat, which saw them go 2-0 down in the four-Test series.

Zaheer sustained a hamstring injury in the first Test at Lord's after bowling just 13.3 overs, and missed the second match of the series.

He managed just three overs in Saturday's drawn tour match, as Northamptonshire successfully overhauled India's total of 352, highlighting India's bowling woes.

And on Sunday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India issued a statement saying: "Zaheer Khan is suffering from a recurrent right hamstring strain and a right ankle impingement.

"He will require surgery for his ankle, followed by intensive rehabilitation for both the ankle and hamstring.

"He will therefore not be able to participate in the ongoing Test series and subsequent Twenty20 international and ODI series against England."

Despite his ongoing fitness battle, Zaheer had been named on Saturday in India's squad for the Twenty20 match and five one-day internationals that follow the Test series.

His replacement, 25-year-old left-armer RP Singh, played the latest of 13 Tests in April 2008. He has taken just 40 Test wickets at an average of 39.10.