Pace spearhead Harshit Rana received a well-deserved maiden call-up, following his impressive performances.
Kohli's deputy Ajinkya Rahane will lead India in the final three Tests.
For the team management, it is a choice between a younger man's (Sarfaraz) flamboyance and fearlessness versus a seasoned campaigner who has been a Test captain and is part of the national set-up for a decade now.
Yash Dhull was on Monday removed as Delhi captain, hours after the team suffered a heavy defeat against Puducherry in their Ranji Trophy opening match.
Captain Virat Kohli is unlikely to feature in the tournament because of his India commitments.
India A bowlers got a taste of the 'Bazball' approach as England Lions, led by opener Keaton Jennings, pulverised an attack full of seasoned domestic operators to score 382 for 3 in just 82 overs on the opening day of the four-day 'unofficial Test' in Ahmedabad.
Mumbai's run machine Sarfaraz Khan was ruled out of the match because of injury.
Proteas pacer Dale Steyn also said that it was nice to finally get out to the middle to do some training.
Jasprit Bumrah and Shikhar Dhawan are also back in both the squads, while pacer Mohammed Shami got a break from the T20 series.
Saini's 76-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja kept India in pursuit of a 274-run target but the former's dismissal crushed team's hopes.
In the absence of national regulars, the focus will shift on the likes of Rinku, who was surprisingly not picked for the first round despite having an impressive first-class record.
Ankit Bawne (46, 82), who looked set was out of the last delivery of the day, giving a return catch to pacer Junior Dala. India A require 255 runs on the final day with only four wickets in hand.
With the series locked at 1-1, Brisbane could well decide the course of the rubber and whether Rohit's men would continue to be the master of their fate in the ongoing World Test Championship.
Veteran pacer Ishant Sharma will be walking into the playing XI as Delhi's pace attack gets ready to ask probing questions to a gritty Baroda in their fifth Ranji Trophy Group D match starting at the Palam Ground from Friday.
Badale said his franchise approached the auction with a certain aim and largely got what they wanted.
Hanuma Vihari got some runs coming as India A scored 198 for 5 at stumps against South Africa A on the second day of the second unofficial Test, in Bloemfontein, on Wednesday. Vihari was batting on 45 at close of play, having found the fence six times while facing 146 balls.
Jadeja, 33, was forced to withdraw from India's Asia Cup campaign after the group stages in order to undergo surgery for a chronic knee problem. Jadeja missed the whole T20 World Cup, despite India coach Rahul Dravid's initial optimism that he may recuperate in time to participate in India's campaign.
Rishabh Pant's fifty, Sarfaraz Khan's aggression give India B control on Day 3 of the Duleep Trophy in Bengaluru on Saturday
Ruturaj hasn't been included in the T20 squad and, in all likelihood, will now turn out for his home state in the upcoming Ranji Trophy.
Navdeep Saini led an impressive bowling display and managed to beat West Indies by four wickets in their first T20 International match
In the first Chennai Test against Bangladesh, Pant scored a magnificent century and returned to Test side with a bang.
India play the opening T20I against New Zealand on Friday.
The latest edition of the Duleep Trophy has concluded with India A beating India C by 132 runs to secure their second title. The tournament witnessed some fine performances from youngsters and established stars alike.
Opener KL Rahul will be playing for India 'A' in their first unofficial Test against England Lions to be held in Wayanad from February 7-10.
He has been in tremendous form of late with one hundred and three fifties in his last six 50-over games.
India captain Rohit Sharma has been ruled out of the second and final Test against Bangladesh with a thumb injury, the BCCI said on Tuesday.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's batting will have to guard against the wily leg-spinner Chahal,
An erratic Sunrisers Hyderabad would look to fix their chasing troubles and get their campaign back on track when they host the high-flying Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League in Hyderabad on Thursday.
Will Mumbai Indians leg-spinner Rahul Chahar replace Royal Challengers Bangalore's Yuzvendra Chahal, who was unimpressive in the first two games?
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the first Test against the West Indies?
An impressive India debut under his belt, fast bowler Navdeep Saini said he could not believe himself when he was handed the India cap to play in the first T20 International against the West Indies, in Lauderhill, Florida, on Saturday.
Rohit Sharma is certain to replace Mayank Agarwal at the top of the order against Australia in the third Test, starting in Sydney from Thursday.
Virat Kohli smashed Lahiru Kumara for a six to seal a clinical victory which came with 15 balls to spare
As many as four world-class match-winners are expected to bid adieu to the game one by one in the next couple of years and Gautam Gambhir is in an unenviable position as head coach.
Opener Mayank Agarwal has been added to the squad.
RR could not have asked for a better start to the season, registering four consecutive wins from as many games.
The team comprises of a lot of promising youngsters who have performed in the Ranji Trophy this season including top-scorer Priyank Panchal of Gujarat and Services batsman G Rahul Singh.
The 34-year-old was India's number one Test wicket-keeper until a career-threatening shoulder injury ruled him out of action for almost a year.
Playing on an Uppal shirtfront that resembled a national highway or at the Kotla or Wankhede is completely from playing at the Chepauk where the strip will be sticky in nature.
India captain Virat Kohli led from the front with an unbeaten 72 to help secure his team's comprehensive seven-wicket victory over South Africa in the second Twenty20 International, in Mohali, on Wednesday.
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