India vs Sri Lanka: Shikhar Dhawan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar Not To Play Second Test, Vijay Shankar Announced Replacement

India opener Shikhar Dhawan and pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar on Monday were released from the India Test squad for the second Test due to personal reasons. It will be a 14-member squad for the next Test scheduled to be played in Nagpur from November 24-28. While Bhuvneshwar will not be available for the next two Tests due to his marriage, Shikhar will be available for the third Test, according to BCCI media release. "The BCCI would like to inform that Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shikhar Dhawan have been released from India's Test team. The duo made a request to the selectors and the team management to release them owing to personal reasons," the release stated.

"Kumar will not take any further part in the ongoing Paytm Test series against Sri Lanka and the All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Vijay Shankar as his replacement. Dhawan is available for selection for the third Test," it further stated.

Vijay Shankar, the Tamil Nadu all-rounder, has been named as the replacement for Bhuvneshwar.

Shankar is not expected to play in the second Test as Murali Vijay is the reserve opener in the squad and Ishant Sharma is the third pacer, who are readily available replacements.

However, this is the maiden national call-up for the Tamil Nadu One Day captain, who has scored 1671 runs and taken 27 wickets in 32 first-class matches. He has been playing for India A for some time and also is next in line after Hardik Pandya as the seam bowling all-rounder.

India Test squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), KL Rahul, M Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (Vice-Captain), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar.

(With PTI inputs)