Out-of-form India batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have both been dropped from India’s squad for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. Both veteran batters have been going through a rough patch of form in recent times and questions were already being raised about their place in the team during India’s recent Test series loss in South Africa. Asked about the experienced players being dropped, Team India chief selector Chetan Sharma said that they had been asked to play in the domestic Ranji Trophy. Wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha and veteran pacer Ishant Sharma also didn’t find any place in the India squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka.

“The selection committee deliberated a lot on Rahane and Pujara. We told them we will not consider them against Sri Lanka but doors are open for them. We told them to go and play Ranji Trophy,” said Chetan Sharma.

Meanwhile, India’s white-ball captain Rohit Sharma has been named captain of the team for the Test series against Sri Lanka as well.

Ahead of the T20 series, the selection committee, headed by Chetan Sharma, decided to give Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant a break, while Shardul Thakur was rested for the entire Sri Lanka series.

India Test squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, R Ashwin (fitness), Ravi Jadeja, Jayant Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Saurabh Kumar.

Promoted

India T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Bhuveshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Mohammad Siraj, Sanju Samson, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan.

(With PTI inputs)