India vs England 1st Test: All-rounder Axar Patel ruled out due to knee injury

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India all-rounder Axar Patel has been ruled out of the first test against England with a knee injury, the Indian board (BCCI) said on Friday. The 27-year-old complained of pain in his left knee during a training session on Thursday.

"He is being monitored by the BCCI medical team and while his detailed reports are awaited, he will not be available for selection for the opening match," the board said in a statement.

Spinners Shahbaz Nadeem and Rahul Chahar have been added to the squad ahead of the opening test, which begins later on Friday in Chennai. 

Axar's injury is the latest setback after India were marred by injury concerns in the four-Test series in Australia. The Gujarat left-arm spinner was added as replacement to Ravindra Jadeja who has been ruled out of the first two Tests against England after a wrist injury that the India all-rounder picked up in the Sydney Test.

The All-India Senior Selection Committee made the decision to add Nadeem and Chahar to the squad ahead of the first Test. Both the spinners were part of the standby group of players and were training with the team in Chennai.

India captain Virat Kohli on Thursday had said Axar was added to the squad ahead of Shahbaz Nadeem who had played in the previous home Test series as he was considered to be a like-for-like replacement for Ravindra Jadeja. All-rounder Washington Sundar was picked in the final XI with Nadeem returning to the line-up as well.