Caley Thistle head coach Billy Dodds expects skipper Sean Welsh to be sidelined for at least two weeks after suffering an ankle injury against Stirling Albion on Saturday.
Midfielder Welsh went over his ankle in the early stages of the Premier Sports Cup encounter at Caledonian Stadium and, although he initially played on, he was replaced by Scott Allardice after 38 minutes.
Dodds confirmed the 31-year-old will miss Tuesday’s Group A fixture away to Cove Rangers, with Welsh’s length of absence dependent on whether he has suffered ligament damage.
Dodds said: “His ankle is still sore and swollen. It’s one of those where, there have been a few days already, but once the soreness goes we can assess it better.
“I think we will lose him for a couple of weeks at least, so it’s a blow.
“His ankle gave way, and he rolled it. The ankle ligaments can go, but we can’t assess him yet because he’s so sore.
“Hopefully they are not gone and we can get him back in a few weeks. If he has tweaked ligaments, it could be three, four or five weeks.
“We are waiting to find out that information.”
Welsh’s injury came during a game from which Caley Jags took just a point against their League Two opponents, after battling back from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 before missing out on the bonus point by losing the penalty shoot-out.
Dodds says he always planned to make changes for the trip to Balmoral Stadium irrespective of his disappointment at his side’s start against the Binos.
He added: “That’s why I’ve got a strong squad. We have to cover for things like that – it’s going to happen throughout the season.
“I didn’t want it to happen this early right enough, but we have to prepare for things we know are going to happen at some point. We just didn’t want it to happen that early.
“But of course, it will give others the opportunity to come in, stake a claim and do well.
“I was mixing it up anyway. I’ve got a strong squad and there is nobody guaranteed games here.
“I was rotating as it was, I made three changes for the Stirling Albion game and there were always going to be changes for this one anyway. I wouldn’t say it will be wholesale, but there will be a few changes.
“It’s healthy competition. We have two players for every position and sometimes more. We know the way it is, they should be looking over their shoulder.
“I’m fair, if they are going to give me performances like that on a regular basis they can’t expect to play.
“It’s not a warning, the players are good lads and they know that.”
Dodds is urging a strong response from his side against Paul Hartley’s men, who will play their final group game with no prospect of qualifying after losing their opening three matches.
Inverness need a victory to maintain their own aspirations of reaching the last-16 of the competition, and Dodds added: “I’m expecting a reaction against Cove.
“I don’t want to have setbacks like Saturday, I want to have positives.
“I’m going to get it. I’m not daft, I have been in football a long time. I’m going to get games where we are not at our best and we don’t win the game.
“Over the season I want us to show some sort of consistency. I don’t want to have a few games where we get a draw, a couple of wins and then a couple of defeats.
“I want it consistent, where we are doing well and picking up points in most games. That applies to the League Cup as well.”
