India vs Sri Lanka 2017: Rangana Herath ruled out of Delhi Test

Jeffrey Vandersay, the Sri Lankan leg-break bowler, will be flown to India as cover for Rangana Herath, who is set to miss the third Test of the ongoing India-Sri Lanka Test series.

The 39-year-old Herath complained about back pain after the end of the second Test at Nagpur, having bowled 39 overs in the only innings India batted.

"We were hoping that Rangana Herath will feel okay for Delhi. But having spoken to him and physio we feel that he should come back. We have got lot of cricket ahead and he is important for us. Our plan was to fly in Malinda Pushpakumara, but he has failed a fitness test. Vandersay will now be the replacement," Chief selector Graeme Labrooy said.

The 27-year-old Vandersay, hailing from Wattala, has played 11 ODIs and & 7 T20Is for Sri Lanka, having made his international debut in a T20I against Pakistan in July 2015. He is yet to play a single Test.

He was also part of the squad for the one-off T20I against India earlier this year, but did not play the game.

Vandersay has prior experience of playing on Indian pitches, having participated in the World T20 last year.

Herath, an 87-Test veteran, has managed to pick up just one wicket from the first two games, despite being, by far, the most experienced bowler in the line-up. In the first Test, with the track heavily assisting seamers, he bowled just eight overs.

The final Test of the series starts on December 2, and will be held at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi