Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced that Rohit Sharma will take over from Virat Kohli as the captain of India’s Test team as well.
Even though India had other young options like KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant to consider for Test captaincy, the selectors have decided to go with the experience of Rohit as a stop-gap option.
Rohit also has the backing of Australia legend Ricky Ponting, who on the first episode of The ICC Review released on 31 January, endorsed him to become India’s Test captain.
The two-match home Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning on 1 March, is supposed to be Rohit’s first assignment as the full-time Test captain. He has become a vital member of the Test side for the last couple of years and has become a mainstay at the top of the order as well.
The BCCI also announced India’s squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka. Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been excluded from the Test side as India announced their squads for the Test and T20I series against Sri Lanka.
The two veterans have struggled in the longest format over the past couple of years leading to their exclusion from the longest format. Ravichandran Ashwin has been included in the side but his availability for the series will be subject to fitness.
Ravindra Jadeja and Shubman Gill also return to the squad after being passed fit while there is also a call-up for left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar. KL Rahul will also be unavailable due to concerns surrounding his fitness.
India’s Test squad for SL series: Rohit Sharma (C), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, Ashwin (fitness), Ravi Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep, Bumrah (VC), Shami, Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Sourabh Kumar.
