IND vs SL 2021-22, Bengaluru Test (D/N): Axar Patel replaces Kuldeep Yadav

The opening Test at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali between India and Sri Lanka was one-sided. The hosts managed to win by an innings and 222 runs and possess a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series. As things move to the final Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru from Saturday, a day-night affair, all-rounder Axar Patel has returned to the squad.

As per PTI, Patel has been recalled to the side, having gained full match fitness. As a result, he has replaced chinaman Kuldeep Yadav in the squad. Patel was nursing a shin injury, besides suffering from COVID recently, which ruled him out of the South Africa tour and the home limited-overs series against the Windies, along with the Lanka T20Is.

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The official announcement regarding the same is yet to arrive from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). However, it was said while announcing the squad that Patel was to gain fitness by the second Test and would be added to the team. While Kuldeep happened to be a backup spinner, he was replaced over the first-choice Patel.

Notably, Patel had a brilliant run with the pink ball earlier. During the Ahmedabad day-night Test against England last year, he claimed 11 wickets to rattle the visitors, along with veteran all-rounder cum spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. If selected in Bengaluru, he will likely replace Jayant Yadav in the XI.

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India's updated Test 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, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah (vc).