The Indian selection committee has decided to release Rishabh Pant from the Test squad in order to allow him some game-time ahead of India's limited-overs series' against West Indies next month. They have also released Shubman Gill*, who will join his state side for a November 24 fixture.
The selectors have called up KS Bharat, the Andhra Pradesh wicketkeeper, to join the Indian team as cover for Wriddhiman Saha for the remainder of the second Test in Kolkata. Andhra have not qualified for the Super League in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2019-20. No replacement has been called up for Gill.
"Rishabh will be playing all the six matches (3 T20Is and 3 ODIs) against the West Indies. The selectors thought it's only prudent that he goes and plays in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Delhi," PTI quoted a BCCI official as saying.
Pant will link up with the Delhi squad that is currently playing in the Super League of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He will thus be available for Delhi's next two Super League matches, against Haryana on November 24 and Rajasthan on November 27, and for the semi-final and final if Delhi make it that far.
As for Gill, the Punjab batsman, he now becomes available for the Super League game against Karnataka on November 24 and the following games against Tamil Nadu on November 25 and Mumbai on November 27, which will be followed by the knockout games if Punjab get there.
Bharat has been a regular with India A in the longer format for the past few seasons, though he has never broken into the senior team. He made his first-class debut in January 2013, and has so far played 69 games, scoring 3,909 runs at an average of 37.58. He has eight centuries and 20 half-centuries, which includes a highest of 308 against Goa in 2015.
"I played the first pink ball match in Lucknow when it was introduced in the Duleep Trophy in 2015. I got a call and was asked to join the team. I'm reaching at 8.30 tomorrow morning," Bharat told PTI on his way to airport from his Visakhapatnam residence. "I am looking forward to sharing the dressing room with my idol Virat bhai. Wriddhiman is one of the best wicketkeepers of the current era. I'm hoping to learn a lot from them."
There have already been two concussion substitutes in the ongoing Test, both for Bangladesh. In the match itself, India's first day-night Test with a pink ball, the home side are firmly in control after the first day.
*The update about Shubman Gill was added at 6.30 GMT on November 23.