Cricket Pulse

Ishant Sharma was on Thursday rested from the 16-member Indian squad while skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was brought back into the team for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. ( Watch )

National selectors also dropped middle order batsman Robin Uthappa while giving chance to Delhi’s Virat Kohli to make his international debut in the five-ODI series starting on August 18.

Ishant, under BCCI’s rotation policy, has been replaced by Munaf Patel but the lanky fast bowler would return to the 15-member side, for next month’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

The teams announced for the two events are otherwise the same except for Parthiv Patel being left out of the squad for Champions Trophy.

Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh also make their ODI comebacks after being out of the team for different reasons.

A fit again S Sreesanth after recuperating from a shoulder injury, however, failed to make the cut.

MS Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh (vice-captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virat Kohli, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Irfan Pathan, Parthiv Patel, Munaf Patel.

MS Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh (vice-captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virat Kohli, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma.