England spearhead seamer James Anderson has been ruled out of the forthcoming one-day series in Sri Lanka because of a knee injury, it was announced Tuesday.
However, England said they hoped to have the Lancashire swing bowler fit in time for next year's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
"James Anderson has been ruled out of the upcoming one day tour to Sri Lanka to continue his rehabilitation on a pre-existing left knee injury," said an England and Wales Cricket Board statement issued Tuesday.
The statement added Anderson had experienced "some knee discomfort" during the recent English season and that he would spend some time in South Africa in December with England's Performance Programme squad in preparation for the tri-series against Australia and India and the World Cup.
The ECB added that "at present" Anderson would not be replaced in the Sri Lanka tour squad.
Anderson's absence follows that of new-ball partner Stuart Broad, who had long since been ruled out of the Sri Lanka series with a knee problem of his own.
The pair have taken more than 400 ODI wickets between them but England will now look to the likes of Steven Finn, Harry Gurney, Chris Jordan, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes to fill the gap.
England are due to play seven one-day internationals in Sri Lanka, the first in Colombo on November 26.
Alastair Cook's men, bidding to give England a first World Cup title in what will be 40 years of trying, begin their bid to lift the trophy with a pool match against co-hosts Australia in Melbourne on February 14.
Source: AFP