Axar Patel replaces suspended Jadeja for 3rd test

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel has replaced the suspended Ravindra Jadeja in India’s squad for the third Test against Sri Lanka, to be held at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium from August 12.

Axar Patel, 23, has played 30 One-Day Internationals and seven Twenty20 Internationals but is now in line for his debut Test if he is picked for the match in Kandy.

Axar Patel was part of the India A team that outplayed South Africa A last night by seven wickets to retain the tri-series trophy they won four years ago.

Ravindra Jadeja was suspended for throwing the ball at Malinda Pushpakumara during the second Test at Colombo. The move deemed dangerous by the on-field umpires following which the World No.1 bowler in Tests got the penalty.

Jadeja, who was named Man-of-the-Match in the second Test, was also docked half his match fees by the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the incident, which was his second transgression within a 24-month period. He also became the World No.1 all-rounder in Tests on Tuesday.

The Virat Kohli-led side are eyeing a series sweep after taking an unassailable 2-0 lead when they completed an innings win in Colombo on Sunday.

India squad for 3rd Test: Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund.