India vs Sri Lanka: Yuvraj Singh axed for limited overs series; Manish Pandey, KL Rahul make comebacks

The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday announced India’s squad for the upcoming ODI series and lone T20I against Sri Lanka, with veteran Yuvraj Singh being the notable exclusion. KL Rahul and Manish Pandey, both of whom missed the 2017 Champions Trophy due to injury, made comebacks, while Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma, who captained Mumbai Indians to their third IPL title in 2017, was named the vice-captain. [caption id=“attachment_3741133” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File photo of India’s Yuvraj Singh. Reuters[/caption] Spin duo Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, and pacers Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav were rested keeping the side’s tight schedule in mind. Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur were also named in the 15-man squad. Dinesh Karthik, who earned a recall to the side during the Champions Trophy, and scored 52 runs in two matches during the West Indies tour that followed, was dropped. Rishabh Pant also missed the bus. The five-match ODI series will start at Dambulla on 20 August. The second and third matches will be played at Pallekele on 24 and 27 August followed by the final two games at Colombo on 31 and 3 September. After the ODI series, both sides will lock horns for a lone T20I at the R Premadasa Stadium on 6 September. This will be India’s first ODI assignment after West Indies tour. The final of Champions Trophy exposed India’s slow bowling frailties. Both Ashwin and Jadeja, who have been rested for this series, were left wanting as Fakhar Zaman attacked his way to his maiden ODI century in the summit clash. Ahead of the ODI series against Australia, which will begin on 17 September, the Men in Blue would be eager to solve the spinner conundrum. India for Sri Lanka ODIs & T20I – Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma (vc), KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Ajinkya Rahane, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur.