Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay Return To Test Team For Australia Series

India, on Friday, announced their Test squad for the upcoming four-match Test series in Australia.

The selectors have dropped quite a handful of surprises for the challenging tour Down Under. Hardik Pandya has failed to find a place in the 18-man squad as he is yet to recover from the injury he sustained during the Asia Cup. Along with Pandya, Mayank Agarwal and Mohammed Siraj, both of whom earned their maiden Test call-ups for the series against Windies, have failed to find spots too.

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On the other hand, Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma and Parthiv Patel have been recalled for the series.

Both Rohit and Parthiv lost their place in the Test team after their dismal show in South Africa earlier this year. Rohit has been in fine form with the bat in limited-overs and will be looking to bring his Test career back on track. Patel is likely to play as the backup wicketkeeper as Wriddhiman Saha is yet to recover from the shoulder injury.

Murali Vijay, on the other hand, was dropped midway through the series in England due to his poor performances.

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India, meanwhile, will be looking to put up a good show Down Under. The ongoing year has only extended India’s recent overseas woes. The Virat Kohli-led side have already lost Test series in South Africa and England this year. But they will have a chance to make amends when they visit Australia. India can also create history Down Under, having never won a Test and bilateral ODI series in Australia.

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Both sides will compete in three T20Is, four Tests and three ODIs. The series will start off with the shortest format, with the first T20I to be played at The Gabba on November 21, 2018.

After the three-match T20I series, the two teams will compete in a four-Test series.

Adelaide opens the Test summer against India on December 6 in a blockbuster Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The Perth Stadium will host its first Test match when India visit for the second Border-Gavaskar match, before the series moves back to Melbourne and Sydney for the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s games respectively.

Following the Tests, there will be three ODIs. Sydney Cricket Ground will host the first ODI on January 12. The long tour will conclude with the third ODI at MCG on January 18.

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India tour of Australia schedule:

T20 series:

November 21 – Australia v India, The Gabba, 1st T20I
November 23 – Australia v India, MCG, 2nd T20I
November 25 – Australia v India, SCG, 3rd T20I

Test series:

December 6-10 – Australia v India, Adelaide Oval, 1st Test
December 14-18 – Australia v India, Perth Stadium, 2nd Test
December 26-30 – Australia v India, MCG, 3rd Test
January 3-7 – Australia v India, SCG, 4th Test

ODI series:

January 12 – Australia v India, SCG, 1st ODI
January 15 – Australia v India, Adelaide Oval, 2nd ODI
January 18 – Australia v India, MCG, 3rd ODI

India Test squad:

Virat Kohli (C), M Vijay, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, Parthiv Patel, R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Shami, Ishant, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

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