BANGALORE, India – Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik has been ruled out of the final test against India beginning on Saturday after failing to recover from an ankle injury.

Shoaib twisted his left ankle while playing soccer after the first test in New Delhi, which the hosts won by six wickets, and the injury kept him out of the second test after his foot was put in a cast.

Younis Khan, who led the team to a remarkable draw in Kolkata, will stand in as captain again.

“Shoaib Malik was sent to a local orthopaedic surgeon for evaluation of his injury. The surgeon has advised another five days of plaster. That means he is out of the third test match,” Pakistan media manager Ehsan Malik told reporters on Thursday.

India, 1-0 up in the series, will field a depleted pace attack after spearhead Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel were ruled out with injuries on Wednesday.

Left-arm swing bowler Irfan Pathan was named in their squad along with the inexperienced Vikram Rajvir Singh and 19-year-old Ishant Sharma.