Vijay ruled out of first Test

India will be without opener M Vijay, their most consistent and prolific batsman over the last year, as they begin a three-Test series against Sri Lanka in Galle on Wednesday. A hamstring injury sustained in Zimbabwe, said team director Ravi Shastri at the media briefing this afternoon, had not healed enough. "He is still under recovery, not fully recovered, and we don't want to take a chance with weather like this and slippery outfield."

Vijay will be replaced by KL Rahul, who produced two 40-plus scores in the Indian team's tour opener in Colombo against the Board President's XI. Shastri said Vijay's omission would be a "big blow" as he was the "in-form player who has had a fabulous run in Test cricket."