Indian batsman Suresh K Raina (file photo / AFP / Manjunath Kiran)
New Delhi: India's veteran batsman Suresh Raina was Thursday ruled out of the opening one-day international cricket match against New Zealand in Dharamsala with a viral infection.
The 29-year-old had been expected to play in Sunday's opening match after being named in the 15-member squad for the first three ODIs against the visitors.
There will be no replacement for Raina "who is recovering from a bout of viral fever", the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement.
The left-hander, who last played in October 2015, was overlooked for India's one-day series against Australia at the start of the year and against Zimbabwe in June.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni returns to lead the ODI team in the five-match series after the hosts whitewashed the Black Caps in the three Tests that concluded Tuesday in Indore.
