India vs Sri Lanka 2nd Test: Axar Patel replaces Kuldeep Yadav for Day-Night Test in Bengaluru

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Bengaluru, March 7: Fit-again all-rounder Axar Patel on Monday (March 7) has replaced left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for India's second Test against Sri Lanka, beginning at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

The Indian team management has released Kuldeep from the squad for the day-night Test.

Axar had been recovering from a shin injury that had forced him to miss the South Africa tour and the T20I series against West Indies.

He had also tested positive for COVID-19 recently.

"Axar was the first choice but had to undergo recovery and hence Kuldeep was a back up," a BCCI source told PTI.

"Now Axar is fit and back so Kuldeep has been released," the source added.

At the time of announcing the squad for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, the BCCI had said Axar was expected to be fit for the second game.

Kuldeep last played a Test in February 2021. India won the first Test against Sri Lanka by an innings and 222 runs.

Updated India Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharath, Ravichandran Ashwin (subject to fitness), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah (vc), Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Saurabh Kumar.