Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel had been called up to England’s Test squad for the forthcoming series against Pakistan in UAE as a replacement for the injured Zafar Ansari.

The uncapped Surrey left-arm spinner was today ruled out of the series on medical advice after dislocating his left thumb in his county’s recent LV=County Championship match against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

The decision was made after Ansari saw a hand specialist yesterday and underwent an MRI scan. He will now undergo further rehabilitation and his injury will be re-assessed by the ECB and Surrey CCC medical staff in approximately three weeks’ time. A decision on his participation in the EPP and Lions tours of UAE will be made in due course.

Patel, who has won five Test caps, was a member of the England squad which won a Test series in India for the first time since 1984-5 in 2012 and also toured Sri Lanka with England earlier in the same year.

National Selector James Whitaker said: “The timing of this injury, on the day his selection was announced, was particularly cruel for Zafar and he is naturally extremely disappointed to have to pull out of the tour. The ECB and Surrey medical staff will supervise his rehabilitation closely and we all hope that he will be able to take up his place in the EPP and Lions squads for their trips to UAE later in the year.

“As a left-arm spinner and a middle-order batsman, Samit is a similar type of player to Zafar and his previous international experience, and in particular, experience of performing for England in sub-continental conditions will be an extremely useful asset to the squad in the UAE.”