India have released left-arm spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, ahead of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, which starts Saturday (March 12). He has been replaced by Axar Patel in the 18-man squad. (More Cricket News)
Kuldeep, 27, was one of the four spinners besides Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravindra Ashwin and Jayant Yadav, in the squad named for the first Test in Mohali, which India won by innings and 222 runs. Kuldeep failed to make the XI but Jadeja, Ashwin and Jayant featured in the match.
Kuldeep played in the third T20I against Sri Lanka Dharamsala on February 27, but he hasn't played a Test for more than a year. His last Test outing was against England at Chennai in February 2021. He has taken 26 wickets in seven Tests.
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"Axar was the first choice but had to undergo recovery and hence Kuldeep was a back up," PTI reported quoting a BCCI source. "Now Axar is fit and back so Kuldeep has been released."
The BCCI had earlier said that Patel, 28, was "undergoing his rehab and is not available for selection for the first Test. He will be assessed later to ascertain his selection for the second Test."
He has since recovered and already joined the squad in Mohali. The Indian team is expected to reach Bangalore on Wednesday for the Day-Night Test.
India Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Saurabh Kumar, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah (vc).
