Chopra, who would have been the defending champion, earned silver at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene that concluded on Sunday (July 24) but competed with a strapping on his thigh owing to a groin injury, and has now been advised to take a month’s rest.

De Grasse, who took some time to recover from COVID-19 earlier this year, was scratched from the 200m at the World Championships after failing to reach the 100 metres final, but re-appeared to anchor the 4x100m relay team to victory.

However he and two of his relay colleagues, Aaron Brown and Jerome Blake, along with world decathlon silver medallist Pierce LePage, have gone home rather than travelling to England.

The news about Asher-Smith, who won world 200m bronze in Oregon last week but then suffered a hamstring problem during the women's 4x100m final, does not come as a surprise.

The 26-year-old Briton, whose Olympic ambitions were undermined by a serious hamstring injury earlier in 2021, tweeted today:  "Unfortunately, I’ve got a slight hamstring strain and won’t be ready to race next week at the Commonwealth Games."

"These athletes have had a challenging World Championships in hot weather conditions and unfortunately must withdraw from the 2022 Commonwealth Games to properly recover and prepare for the rest of the season," Athletics Canada said.

The loss of Chopra will probably be the keenest blow for Birmingham given his status as the first Indian to win an Olympic title in athletics.

"Team India javelin thrower Mr. Neeraj Chopra called me earlier today from the US to convey his inability to take part in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games owing to fitness concerns," the Indian Olympic Association secretary general Rajeev Mehta told The Hindu.

"Following his participation in the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Mr. Chopra had an MRI scan done on Monday and, based on it, he has been advised a month’s rest by his medical team."

Chopra, who was expected to be the Indian flagbearer at tomorrow’s Opening Ceremony, is understood to have a Grade One strain.

"I am hurt about not being able to defend my title and missing out on another opportunity to represent the nation," Chopra tweeted.

"I am especially disappointed about losing out on the opportunity to be Team India’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony."