Delhi medium pacer Amit Bhandari will replace injured Laxmipathy Balaji, who has been ruled out of the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy in England due to an injury.

"The Indian team physio Andrew Leipus reported to us that Balaji would be out of action for the mini-World Cup at London due to a groin injury and, at the request of the Indian team management and after consultation with the senior selection committee, we have decided to send Bhandari as replacement at the earliest," Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary S K Nair said in a statement in Mumbai on Friday.

Balaji is the second Indian cricketer to be ruled out of the Champions Trophy after batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar withdrew because of a tennis elbow.