India recall Vijay for S Lanka Tests
MUMBAI: Selectors recalled experienced opener Murali Vijay to India’s Test squad yesterday for the first two matches of a three-Test series against Sri Lanka which starts next month. The right-hander has recovered from a wrist injury that forced him to miss India’s recent tour of its island neighbour, when Virat Kohli’s side crushed the Sri Lankans 3-0.
Left-handed Abhinav Mukund makes way for the 33-year-old Vijay in what is the only change to India’s Test squad from the one fielded against Sri Lanka. Ace spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are joined by India’s new spin king, 22-year-old Kuldeep Yadav, who has impressed since taking four wickets in his Test debut against Australia in Dharamsala in March. Ashwin and Jadeja have been rested from India’s limited-overs side after selectors decided to give younger bowlers a chance in the run-up to the 2019 World Cup. Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar will lead the hosts’ speed attack.
The squad for the third and final Test will be named later, with Indian media reporting that Kohli could be rested for the game and the subsequent limited-overs series before India embark on a gruelling tour of South Africa. India and South Africa are scheduled to play three Tests, six ODIs and three T20s from early January to late February. The first India-Sri Lanka Test takes place in Kolkata from November 16-20. The sides travel to Nagpur for the second match, which starts on November 24. The final Test will be played in Delhi between December 2-6.
Squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Lokesh Rahul, Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma.
Meanwhile, India named uncapped rising stars Mohammed Siraj and Shreyas Iyer in their Twenty20 squad for the three-match series against New Zealand starting next month. The 23-year-old Siraj, a pace bowler for Indian Premier League (IPL) side Sunrisers Hyderabad, was called up after a string of impressive performances for India A.
Iyer is a 22-year-old right-handed batsman who plays first class cricket for Mumbai. He has turned out for the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL. The T20 series follows a three-match ODI contest between the sides.
New Zealand stunned the hosts in the first 50-overs match on Sunday, successfully chasing down 281 thanks to an unbeaten Tom Latham century and 95 from Ross Taylor. A Virat Kohli ton had fired India to 280-8 but New Zealand won the match by six wickets and with six balls to spare, finishing on 284-4. The first T20 takes place in Delhi on November 1. The teams will then line up in Rajkot on November 4 followed by the final match in Thiruvananthapuram on November 7. Veteran bowler Ashish Nehra, who is due to retire after the first match, will drop out of the squad for the remaining fixtures, selectors said in a statement. — Agencies