England have confirmed that opener Alastair Cook and fast bowler James Anderson will join up with the injury-hit senior squad in India.
They were withdrawn from England A's match against West Indies A and are due to arrive in India on Sunday.
Michael Vaughan (knee) Kevin Pietersen (back), Paul Collingwood (back) and Liam Plunkett (heel) are all doubts for the first Test in Nagpur.
Simon Jones and Shaun Udal are both recovering from stomach bugs.
Essex opener Cook, 21, was summoned to Pakistan earlier this winter in similar circumstances while Lancashire seamer Anderson was on the entire trip.
Vaughan was ruled out of the tour match in Baroda on Wednesday and given a cortisone injection to help him recover in time for the first Test, which starts on 1 March.
The skipper, who had a light net workout on Friday, had surgery on his right knee in December.
Medical officer Dr Peter Gregory said the injury was slightly different to the one Vaughan suffered in Pakistan and was cautiously upbeat.
"It's got to be a concern when your captain can't play in the match before the first Test, but he has a chance for next week," said Gregory.
"A jab normally starts to work after 48 hours, but you can't expect the full effect for about two weeks."
Collingwood was also ruled out before the start of the game against a President's XI while Pietersen pulled up hurt having hit 47 on the first day of the match.
Plunkett took the field for the tour game on Friday but a bruised heel prevented him bowling.