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England bowler Tim Bresnan looks set to miss all three Tests against Sri Lanka, starting in Cardiff on 26 May, with a torn calf muscle.

Yorkshire's Bresnan, 26, has taken 25 wickets in seven Tests and appeared in England's Ashes successes in Melbourne and Sydney over the winter.

The paceman recently aggravated an injury first sustained during the one-day series in Australia.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said he required "further assessment".

It added in a statement: "A rehabilitation and recovery programme will be established in the coming days."

Bresnan bowls accurate medium-fast swing and seam, and is a handy lower-order batsman. But he had been seen largely as a one-day specialist until England freshened up their attack during the Ashes.

Chris Tremlett replaced the injured Stuart Broad in the third Test in Perth, before Bresnan came in for Steven Finn for the last two matches. He picked up six wickets in Melbourne and five in Sydney.

With the other four seam bowlers who played in the Ashes all fit, England have their bases covered for the Sri Lanka series, and Bresnan will now attempt to prove his fitness for the one-day series that follows the Test matches. India also await later in the summer.

Having injured his calf during a one-day international in Hobart on 21 January, Bresnan battled back in time to play a full part in the World Cup from mid-February.

But after experiencing some pain at the start of the county season he was ruled out of the Championship match against Roses rivals Lancashire this week, and underwent scans on Monday.