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IND VS SL: Axar Patel returns as India opt to bat in 2nd Test
Axar Patel returns as India opt to bat in 2nd Test
- India opt to bat in 2nd Test in Bengaluru
- Rohit and Co won the first Test by an innings and 222 runs
- Axar Patel has come in for Jayant Yadav
Axar Patel returned to India's Playing XI for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru on Saturday.
The bowling all-rounder, who had been out of action due to a shin injury, came in for Jayant Yadav.
India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bat at the Chinnaswamy Stadium as the hosts are looking to seal the series 2-0. Rohit and Co won the first game comprehensively by an innings and 222 runs in Mohali.
"We are going to bat first. It looks like a very dry pitch and runs are the board is going to be critical. Axar Patel is fit and he is back, he comes in place of Jayant. It has a lot to do with the conditions, it is a dry pitch and Axar we saw what he did in the last series he played, so obviously, we wanted to get him back.
Unfortunate for Jayant to miss out after playing just one Test match but again we want to give guys who have done well a slightly longer rope and give them enough opportunities to prove themselves. When it comes to the mindset we want to be ruthless. There is a lot at stake but we want to take one session at a time and not look too far ahead. It is going to be a challenging Test match and we got to be at it and get what we want from this game," Rohit said at the toss in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne said that his side has had "good pink-ball Test matches in the past and that will help the players."
"The wicket is pretty dry and in the latter part it is going to turn, so we wanted to bat first as well. We spoke about the things we did wrong in the last Test and we just want to make sure it won't happen again.
Every session we have to compete with them and let's see how it goes. We have had good pink-ball Test matches in the past and that will help the players. Pathum Nissanka and Lahiru Kumara are not available. Kusal Mendis and Praveen Jayawickrama are playing," added Karunaratne after the toss.
India vs Sri Lanka: Playing XIs
Sri Lanka XI: Dimuth Karunaratne(c), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Niroshan Dickwella(wk), Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Embuldeniya, Vishwa Fernando, Praveen Jayawickrama
India XI: Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma(c), Hanuma Vihari, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(wk), Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah
