Source -
www.cricinfo.com.
Virat Kohli, who led India to victory in the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year, has earned a surprise call-up to the national squad for the ODIs against Sri Lanka as well as for the Champions Trophy. Mahendra Singh Dhoni returns to take charge of the team after pulling out of the ongoing Test series while Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan are back in the squad. Ishant Sharma has been rested for the Sri Lanka ODIs and will return for the Champions Trophy, with Parthiv Patel and Munaf Patel missing out.
Robin Uthappa, who has been in indifferent form, has been dropped along with Piyush Chawla and Yusuf Pathan. The selectors also decided against including Sreesanth, with Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary, saying that he needed to "prove himself in domestic cricket."
It has been a steady rise for Kohli, who, after making his debut for Delhi in the 2006-07 season, came into national prominence during India's triumphant U-19 campaign in Malaysia. An attacking batsman in the mould of Virender Sehwag, Kohli finished the the tournament with 235 runs at 42.16. He then joined the Bangalore Royal Challengers for the Indian Premier League, but his performances were below-par. Kohli staked his claim for national selection by becoming the second-highest run-getter for the India in the recently concluded Emerging Players Tournament in Australia.
Zaheer is back after a nine-month absence; he last played for India during their home ODIs against Pakistan in November, while Tendulkar returns after he missed the Kitply Cup in Bangladesh and the Asia Cup to recover from a groin injury.
The first of the five ODIs against Sri Lanka will be held on August 18 in Dambulla.
Squad for Sri Lanka ODIs
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Munaf Patel, Pragyan Ojha.
India tour of Sri Lanka, 2008 one dayers
Fri 15
10:00 local, 04:30 GMT TBC v Indians
Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo
Mon 18
10:00 local, 04:30 GMT 1st ODI - Sri Lanka v India
Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Wed 20
10:00 local, 04:30 GMT 2nd ODI - Sri Lanka v India
Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium
Sun 24
14:30 local, 09:00 GMT 3rd ODI - Sri Lanka v India
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Tue 26
14:30 local, 09:00 GMT 4th ODI - Sri Lanka v India
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Fri 29
14:30 local, 09:00 GMT 5th ODI - Sri Lanka v India
R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Squad for Champions Trophy
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma.
The schedule of ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY in PAKISTAN FROM SEPT 11 TO SEPT 28 is-
Thu Sep 11
Pakistan v West Indies at Lahore, ICC Champions Trophy
Fri Sep 12
New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Karachi, ICC Champions Trophy
Sat Sep 13
Australia v India at Lahore, ICC Champions Trophy
Sun Sep 14
England v Sri Lanka at Karachi, ICC Champions Trophy
Mon Sep 15
South Africa v New Zealand at Rawalpindi, ICC Champions Trophy
Tue Sep 16
India v West Indies at Karachi, ICC Champions Trophy
Wed Sep 17
Pakistan v Australia at Rawalpindi, ICC Champions Trophy
Thu Sep 18
South Africa v Sri Lanka at Lahore, ICC Champions Trophy
Fri Sep 19
England v New Zealand at Rawalpindi, ICC Champions Trophy
Sat Sep 20
Pakistan v India at Lahore, ICC Champions Trophy
Sun Sep 21
Australia v West Indies at Karachi, ICC Champions Trophy
England v South Africa at Rawalpindi, ICC Champions Trophy
Wed Sep 24
TBC v TBC at Karachi, ICC Champions Trophy, 1st Semi Final
Thu Sep 25
TBC v TBC at Rawalpindi, ICC Champions Trophy, 2nd Semi Final
Sun Sep 28
TBC v TBC at Lahore, ICC Champions Trophy, Final