Indian squad for Test series against Sri Lanka announced; Axar Patel, Abhinav Mukund out, Murali Vijay, Ravindra Jadeja in

India are scheduled to play a three-match Test series starting November 16, followed by a five-match ODI series and a three-match T20I series

By: Arun Rawal |
October 23, 2017 12:35 pm

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced India’s squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka. The Test series will start from November 16. Murali Vijay played his last Test at Dharamsala against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2017. Vijay suffered an injury which forced him to sit out of the Indian squad. Ravindra Jadeja, too, makes a comeback to the side. He was rested for the third Test on the tour of Sri Lanka earlier in 2017. Opener Abhinav Mukund and spinner Axar Patel have been excluded from the Test squad. Mukund was not impressive in the series against Australia but scored a half-century against Sri Lanka whereas Patel’s exclusion made way for Jadeja who becomes an indispensable part of the Indian Test squad in subcontinent conditions.

Ashwin too will be making a comeback in international cricket after his stint in the County Cricket for Worcestershire. The off-spinner did a brilliant job in the County season, taking wickets in clusters and also contributing with the bat. Ashwin’s batting becomes important in the longest version of the game.

Kohli has shown his trust in young leg-spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, once again. Though it will be a tough decision whether to play with three spinners or three seamers. Ishant Sharma, too, retains his place in the side. Ishant did not play a single game on the tour of Sri Lanka. Perhaps now he will get a chance to play against an inexperienced and out-of-form Sri Lankan side.

#TeamIndia for first two Test matches against Sri Lanka. The 3-match Test series begins from the 16th of November in Kolkata #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/o2Ib0Qjqzf

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 23, 2017

Rohit Sharma too has been included in the side. Though the only batsman he can replace in the playing XI can be KL Rahul, who has not been in the best of forms in the limited overs format.

Team India squad:

Virat Kohli (c), KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Umesh Yadav