Dinesh Karthik has been named as replacemnet for Virender Sehwag, who has been ruled out of ICC World T20 due to a shoulder injury.

A statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India this afternoon confirmed the news the champions had been dreading.

Sehwag did not feature in any of India's warm-up matches or their opening Group A victory over Bangladesh three days ago.

India's preparations for that match were overshadowed by a demonstration of unity as the whole team appeared at a press conference which was supposed to be attended only by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

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He took the opportunity to denounce reports in India that there was a rift between him and Sehwag as "false and irresponsible".

Dhoni today again found himself beset by angry inquiries, as the press previewed tomorrow's match against Ireland at Trent Bridge, about the possibility of Sehwag having to return home.

It was eventually claimed, by team manager Chamundeshwar Nath, that no decision on Sehwag would be made until tomorrow.

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But within minutes of the end of today's fractious press conference, the BCCI put out a statement confirming Sehwag will be returning to India - and wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik will arrive as his replacement.

The statement read: "Virender Sehwag has been ruled out of the ongoing ICC World T20 due to a shoulder injury.

"He will return to India after consulting medical experts in England."

The BCCI has revealed that Dinesh Karthik would be flown in as a replacement.

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