India ring the changes ahead of Sri Lanka series

Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha have been dropped from the Test side while Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are rested for the T20Is

India have rung the changes ahead of their red and white-ball series against Sri Lanka.

The two sides are set to contest three T20Is in Lucknow (February 24) and Dharamshala (February 26-27). The white-ball series will then be followed by two Test matches in Mohali (March 4-8) and Bangalore (March 12-16).

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant are the notable omissions for the T20I series, with the BCCI opting to give the pair a bubble break, but are both expected to return for the Test series.

The pair have already left the West Indies bubble to begin their rest.

"They have been rested for the last game against West Indies. We have already sent them home, so they can get more time to rest on the advice of medical staff. They will be rested for the Sri Lanka T20I series," said BCCI chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma.

^{Rishabh Pant has been rested for the T20I series but has been included in the Test squad [Ashley Vlotman/Getty Images]}

"As it has been decided by BCCI, it will be a policy to give all the regular all-format players periodic breaks from the bubble to ensure that their workload management and mental health is taken care of."

Ravindra Jadeja and Sanju Samson have both recovered from injuries and will be available for selection for the white-ball side while vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah, who missed India’s home series against West Indies, has also returned.

The Test squad, under the leadership of newly appointed captain Rohit Sharma, has four major changes, with Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha all absent.

The quartet were dropped following the South Africa series, but the door remains open for a return to the Test side, according to Chetan Sharma.

"We have told them that we will not consider for these two Test matches. There is nothing wrong if we have told the four of them that we are not considering them for these two matches. We will consider them later," he said.

"In the meanwhile let's see how the others do. We are nobody to close doors on anybody. We have told them a period, I have requested all four of them to play Ranji, which is very important because the selectors are looking closely at Ranji Trophy," said Chetan Sharma.

^{KL Rahul has not been included in either squad due to injury [Grant Pitcher/Getty Images]}

Neither KL Rahul nor Washington Sundar are included in either squad, with the pair ruled out due to injury. Hardik Pandya and Shardul Thakur also miss out, with the former not considered fit enough for selection for the T20I side and the latter rested.

"Shardul Thakur has been rested in both formats, T20Is and Test matches against Sri Lanka," explained Sharma.

"Hardik was a very important part of the Indian team," Chetan said. "But after the injuries, until we get a confirmation he is 100 per cent fit, ready to go and that he is bowling and is match fit, we can't consider him."

India T20I squad: Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Hooda, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Sanju Samson, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan

India Test squad: Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Saurabh Kumar