India vs England: Alex Hales ruled out of ODI series due to side strain; Dawid Malan named as replacement

Nottingham: England batsman Alex Hales will miss all three matches in a one-day international series with India, the England and Wales Cricket Board  (ECB)announced on Thursday. [caption id=“attachment_4120449” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Alex Hales. Reuters[/caption] Prior to Thursday’s first ODI at Trent Bridge, home ground of Hales’s county team Nottinghamshire, the ECB said the opening batsman had been left out of that match because of a side injury suffered when batting during net practice on Wednesday. But, at that stage, they said Hales, now something of a white-ball specialist, would be “monitored” on a game by game basis. However, after India’s thumping eight-wicket win that put the tourists 1-0 up in a three-match series, a team spokesman confirmed the 29-year-old Hales would miss Saturday’s match at Lord’s and Tuesday’s finale at Headingley. “Alex Hales has a torn left side strain, he will be out for three to four weeks and misses the rest of the series,” said the spokesman. England have retained Dawid Malan, who did not play at Trent Bridge after being called up as cover for Hales, for the second ODI at the Middlesex batsman’s Lord’s home ground. Hales averaged 48 as England lost their Twenty20 series against India 2-1. England’s previous ODI at Trent Bridge saw Hales make 147 as England complied a men’s record total of 481 for six in a 242-run win against Australia on 19 June.