India vs Australia: Hosts Retain 15 Players For Remaining Tests, Hardik Pandya Left Out
No replacement has been called in for Hardik Pandya, with pacer Mohammad Shami not finding a place in the squad
Highlights
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India retained 15 players for the final two Tests vs Australia
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Hardik Pandya has been left out of the squad
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Mohammed Shami has not been included in the squad either
All rounder Hardik Pandya, who failed to make it to the playing XI in the first two Tests, was on Thursday released from the Indian squad with selectors retaining other 15 members for the remaining two games against Australia.
Pandya will play for Baroda in the quarter-finals of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the domestic One-day tournament.
Pandya was released during the first Test also and he played three league games. With the Ranchi wicket expected to be on the slower side, there is very little possibility of Pandya making the cut in the playing XI.
TEAM for last two #INDvAUS Tests: Virat (C),Vijay,Rahul,Pujara,Rahane, Nair, Ashwin, Jadeja, Saha,Ishant,Umesh,Jayant,Bhuvi, Kuldeep, Mukund
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2017
Opener Murali Vijay, who has suffered a shoulder injury missing the second Test match has been kept in the squad of 15 and is expected to get fit before the start of the third Test in Ranchi from March 16.
First choice opener Vijay is expected to replace Abhinav Mukund, who failed in both the innings.
Squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jayant Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav
(With inputs from PTI)