BCCI has announced Rohit Sharma as India’s Test captain replacing Virat Kohli after selecting the squad for upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka beginning from March 4. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have been dropped as they were struggling with their form for quite some time.
India are scheduled to play a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting from March 4. BCCI made an important announcement ahead of the series while selecting the squad naming Rohit Sharma as the India’s full time Test captain. Virat Kohli had resigned from captaincy after the series against South Africa recently. Rohit has plenty of success in white-ball cricket as captain but he will have to replicate that success in Test cricket as well.
Two important omissions from the squad are of two senior batsman in form of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. Both of them have been struggling with their form in recent matches and their place in the squad was questioned by several experts and former cricketers.
Rahane is playing in Ranji Trophy for Mumbai currently while Pujara is playing for Saurashtra. Reflecting on the decision to leave out both cricketers from the team, chairman of the selection committee said that they wanted to give chances to other cricketers in two matches.
“The selection committee thought a lot before making the decision. We spoke to them earlier. We told them we will not consider them for 2 Test matches for Sri Lanka. We told them the doors are absolutely open for them. In just 2 Test matches, selectors decided to give chances to other cricketers. They are playing Ranji Trophy,” Chetan Sharma said,
Ravindra Jadeja and Shubhman Gill have returned to the squad. Left-arm spinner Sourabh Kumar has earned a call-up to the squad while KL Rahul is unavailable due to concerns around his fitness.
India’s Test squad for SL series: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, Ravichandran Ashwin (fitness), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep, Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Sourabh Kumar
