Parthiv retained, Ishant released

Parthiv Patel, who made a return to the Test team after eight years in the third Test at Mohali, will continue to be with the Indian team for the fourth Test in Mumbai starting on Thursday. Ishant Sharma has been released for his wedding on December 9.

Parthiv Patel kept wickets and opened the batting in Mohali after first-choice keeper Wriddhiman Saha was ruled out due to injury. Saha is still recovering from a strain in the left thigh sustained during the second Test in Visakhapatnam, according to a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India on Tuesday.

Patel made an impressive return in the Indian Test team. The 31-year-old Gujarat player scored 42 and 67 not out as India cruised to an emphatic win in the Mohali Test to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. Patel also took four catches and effected one stumping helping India win by eight wickets with a day to spare.

Meanwhile, Ishant Sharma has been released from the Indian squad.

NO PLACE

The Delhi pacer did not find a place in the playing XI in the India versus England series so far as the pace attack has been handled well by Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami.

It is unlikely the team management will make changes to the spin-heavy bowling combination in Mumbai.

The 28-year-old Ishant Sharma last played a Test match at Port-of-Spain in August this year. Almost the entire match was lost to the elements.

RANJI TROPHY TIE RESCHEDULED

However, the last league match of the Ranji Trophy in Tamil Nadu, between Jharkhand and Odisha in Group B, initially scheduled for December 7 at the NPR College Ground in Dindigul has been rescheduled. Fresh dates and venue will be announced soon.