Team India announced for T20I & Test Series against Sri Lanka

Insight Bureau: BCCI has announced Team India’s squad for their upcoming T20I and Test Series against Sri Lanka on Saturday. Chairperson of the national selection committee, former Indian cricketer Chetan Sharma announced the squad.

Sharma chaired a virtual press conference to announce the T20I squad of the Rohit Sharma-led Team India side. In the build-up to the squad announcement of the Sri Lanka series, multiple reports had suggested that former Indian skipper Virat Kohli and wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant will miss India’s next white-ball assignment.

Speaking at the traditional press conference on Saturday, Sharma confirmed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rested Kohli and Pant for the upcoming T20I series between Sri Lanka and hosts India. Pant and Kohli smashed half-centuries to set up India’s thrilling win over the West Indies in the second T20I of the three-match series. The BCCI has given Pant and Kohli a much-needed rest from international cricket.

Leaving the Indian team’s bio-bubble on Saturday, the batting superstars had left for their respective homes ahead of India’s meeting with the West Indies in the 3rd T20I at Eden Gardens. Chief selector Sharma also revealed the changes India have made in its squad for the three-match T20I series against the former world champions.

Announcing the return of Jasprit Bumrah, Sharma confirmed that the star pacer will be Rohit’s deputy in the Sri Lanka series. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also returned to the fold for the Sri Lanka white-ball series. Wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson has replaced Pant for the three-match T20I series between Sri Lanka and hosts India.

“This series, Jasprit Bumrah will be vice-captain. We are keeping KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant under Rohit to be groomed for a leadership role in the future,” Chetan Sharma said.

The BCCI  also dropped big names like Rahane and Pujara from the Test Squad. “We decided not to consider them for the SL series”, BCCI stated. Wriddhiman Saha and Ishant Sharrma were also dropped from the team.

Sri Lanka’s Tour of India (Schedule):

1st T20I – Feb 24 (Lucknow)
2nd T20I – Feb 26 (Dharamsala)
3rd T20I – Feb 27 (Dharamsala)
1st Test – March 4-8 (Mohali)
2nd Test – March 12-16 (Bengaluru)

T20I Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Md Siraj, Sanju Samson (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan.

Test Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (WK), KS Bharat (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin (subject to fitness), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Saurabh Kumar