The Board of Control for Cricket in India [BCCI] have announced a 15-member squad for the final two Tests against Australia.

The squad is, more or less, the same as the one that was named for the first two Tests, with the only difference being the exclusion of all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

Before the second Test in Bengaluru, India captain Virat Kohli mentioned that Pandya had a shoulder niggle.

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami and batsman Rohit Sharma, who returned to action in the Vijay Hazare Trophy after recent injuries, have not been included in the squad.

On the other hand, opening batsman Murali Vijay – who missed the Bengaluru Test due to injury – stays in the squad.

With the series level at 1-1, the third Test is scheduled for March 16 at Ranchi while the final Test will be held at Dharamshala, starting on March 25.

SQUAD

Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Abhinav Mukund, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav.