Zaheer blow for India

Injured India seamer Zaheer Khan will not be fit to bowl against England on the second day of the 2000th Test.

Zaheer, the clear pick of the bowlers on the first day of the series opener, left the field in the afternoon session clutching his hamstring.

He was assessed overnight and it was confirmed he was suffering from a hamstring strain.

As such he took no part in the morning practice session and failed to emerge when play began at 11am with England 127 for two.

A statement issued by the Indian side this morning read: "Zaheer Khan had strained his hamstring during the course of the first day's play. He is undergoing treatment which is being administered by the team physio.

"He may be unavailable to bowl in the first innings but is likely to be fit to bowl in the second innings."

That means wicketkeeper and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni may bowl after Rahul Dravid did some drills with the gloves prior to the start of play.

Dhoni started behind the wicket but may opt to utilise his own part-time medium pace at some stage.