New Delhi, 28 July (H.S.):

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced a 15-member Indian squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka in August. Shubman Gill will continue to lead the team, while KL Rahul has been appointed as the vice-captain.

The biggest highlight of the squad is the maiden Test call-up for Madhya Pradesh’s experienced off-spin all-rounder Saransh Jain. The 33-year-old earned his place in the national side after Washington Sundar was ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Saransh has been rewarded for his consistent performances in domestic cricket and for India A.

Experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also returned to the Test squad. He was rested for India’s one-off Test match against Afghanistan in June.

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah and batter Sai Sudharsan have also been included in the squad, but their selection remains subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE). Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar Reddy, who is undergoing rehabilitation after an injury, has not been included in the squad.

The first Test between India and Sri Lanka will be played from August 15 in Galle, while the second and final Test is scheduled to begin on August 23 at the SSC Stadium in Colombo. India last toured Sri Lanka in 2017, where they completed a historic 3-0 series sweep against the hosts.

India’s Test squad for Sri Lanka tour:

Shubman Gill (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (Wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal and Saransh Jain.

Note: The selection of Jasprit Bumrah and Sai Sudharsan is subject to fitness clearance.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar