India bolster seam ranks

India's bowling department will be bolstered by the arrival of seamers Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Dhawal Kulkarni prior to next week's fifth and final Test against England at The Oval in London.

India's bowling department will be bolstered by the arrival of seamers Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Dhawal Kulkarni prior to next week's fifth and final Test against England at The Oval in London.

Sharma, Yadav and Kulkarni were, earlier this week, named in the squad for this month's five ODIs and one-off Twenty20 International against the same opposition.

The trio will arrive in the United Kingdom earlier than the rest of the additions, acting as cover for fast bowlers Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who are nursing respective leg and ankle injuries. The former has been ruled out of the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester.

"That is the plan. The general impression among the senior players, selectors and the board officials is that the pace bowling department needs reinforcement. We want to send these three bowlers earlier than planned," confirmed the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The inexperienced Varun Aaron and Pankaj Singh, meanwhile, are expected to remain with the touring party for the six limited-overs fixtures, according to the <i>Mumbai Mirror</i>. The pair were due to return to India after the five Tests.

"That is eminently possible. The team needs more pacers than spinners in England and the thinking is to supply the team with as many pacers as possible. We will speak to captain and coach," added the BCCI.

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