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India's Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of the third Test against New Zealand

Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the third Test
Image: Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the third Test

India opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the third Test against New Zealand with a broken hand and will be replaced in the squad by the uncapped Karun Nair.

Dhawan had sustained a 'minor fracture' on his left hand, the team said in a statement. His place in the team could go to  Gautam Gambhir, who was drafted into the squad for the first time in two years after opener Lokesh Rahul suffered a hamstring strain during the first Test in Kanpur.

The hosts completed a 178-run victory in Kolkata on Monday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The third Test is scheduled to start in Indore from Saturday but had been thrown into some confusion by a local media report that the Indian board (BCCI) had cancelled the remainder of the tour due to financial problems.

Gautam Gambhir, Kolkata Knight Riders
Image: Gautam Gambhir could be in line for a Test return

The Indian Express newspaper quoted an unnamed BCCI official as saying the tour had been scrapped after banks moved to freeze the board's accounts amid a governance review by a court-appointed panel.

However, former chief justice RM Lodha denied any possibility of the match not taking place, saying; "There is no question of any cancellations of game or series. Accounts of BCCI have not been frozen."

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