India v Sri Lanka: Murali Vijay returns for Sri Lanka Tests

NEW DELHI: Murali Vijay has been recalled to India's squad for the first two Test matches against Sri Lanka, having recovered from the wrist injury that sent him home from Sri Lanka two months ago. He is the only change to India's previous Test squad, with his Tamil Nadu captain and opening partner Abhinav Mukund making way.

R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav remain the preferred spinners, while the pace quotient continues to be Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma with allrounder Hardik Pandya the fifth option. Wriddhiman Saha is, as expected, the first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman. Ajinkya Rahane has been made vice-captain for the series.

Vijay last played a Test in March, having missed all three Tests in Sri Lanka with an injured right wrist.

Since then, his competitive cricket has been restricted to one Ranji Trophy match for Tamil Nadu, one for India Green in the Duleep Trophy and four Twenty20 games in the Tamil Nadu Premier League. Vijay made 17 runs in two innings during the Duleep Trophy game, in which he also took five wickets, and for Tamil Nadu he made 4 and 55 earlier this month.

Like Vijay, there are a few other members of India's Test squad who have not played International cricket since the tour of Sri Lanka. Cheteshwar Pujara turned out for Nottinghamshire in England, with disappointing returns of 333 runs in 12 innings, and since then has managed 35 and 13 for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. Saha has featured in just two Ranji matches for Bengal, with scores of 55, 15 and 27 and six catches.

Ashwin too has only played first-class cricket since August, having been overlooked for India's ODI squad. He enjoyed a successful but brief county stint in England for Division Two toppers Worcestershire, taking 20 wickets and scoring 214 runs in four games. For Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, he has made two appearances this month from which he has seven wickets. Ashwin's spin partner Jadeja has also not gotten a chance for India in limited-overs cricket since the Sri Lanka tour, and has played just one match since then. Turning out for Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy last week, Jadeja hit 201 and claimed seven wickets in a match-winning performance.

The Sri Lanka series starts November 16 at Eden Gardens, followed by Tests in Nagpur from November 24 and Delhi from December 2. Sri Lanka will also play three ODIs and three T20Is during the tour that spans 37 days.

India Test squad : Virat Kohli (capt), Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, Hardik Pandya.