Virat Kohli will lead India in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane next month in the absence of injured regular skipper MS Dhoni, the Indian cricket board said on Monday.
“MS Dhoni has been rested for the first Test as a prophylactic measure to ensure optimum recovery,” board secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement, without elaborating on what the local media described as a right hand injury.
“He will join the team from the second Test onwards, and will lead the team for the rest of the Test series,” added Patel, announcing a 19-member squad for the four-match series starting in Brisbane on December 4.
In Dhoni’s absence, Wriddhiman Saha is expected to keep wicket in Brisbane, although Naman Ojha will also fancy his chances of being handed the role.
Karnataka opener KL Rahul was rewarded for his rich vein of form in domestic cricket by forcing his way into the squad but Shikhar Dhawan is likely to partner Murali Vijay at the top of the batting order.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will lead India’s slow bowling department, while leg-spinner Karn Sharma was also included.
Umesh Yadav, who played the last of his nine Tests against England in late 2012, returns to join Ishant Sharma in the pace attack, which also includes Varun Aaron and Mohammed Shami.
Left-handed batsman Suresh Raina, an automatic limited over choice, was also recalled in the side after a two-year absence.
India, reigning 50-over world champions, have slipped to sixth in Test rankings and will take on a second-ranked Australia side still smarting from a 2-0 series defeat by Pakistan in the UAE earlier this month.
Brisbane hosts the first test, followed by matches in Adelaide (December 12-16), Melbourne (December 26-30) and Sydney (January 3-7).
Team: MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Naman Ojha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Karn Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron
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