Axar named as Jadeja's replacement for 3rd Test

The tall left-arm spinner's performance in the tri-series has been impressive. He has taken six wickets at 15.50, with a best of 3/33 against Afghanistan A. (Photo: PTI)

However, it is unlikely that Axar would get a game as chinaman spinner Kuldeep is almost certain to take Jadeja’s place in the playing XI. (Photo: BCCI)

India have sealed the Test series against Sri Lanka after winning the second Test at the SSC in Colombo by an innings and 53 runs. The visitors had won the first Test at Galle by 304 runs. (Photo: AP)

Team: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice captain), Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, W Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, M Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund. (Photo: AP)

Ravindra Jadeja was suspended for the upcoming Pallekele Test after breach of the ICC Code of Conduct for which he received a 50 per cent fine and three demerit points. (Photo: AP)

Axar was part of the India A team that outplayed South Africa 'A' last night by seven wickets to retain the tri- series trophy they won four years ago.

During the third day’s play in the Colombo Test against Sri Lanka on Saturday, Jadeja was found guilty of breaching article 2.2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Player and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment such as a water bottle) at or near a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire, Match Referee or any other third person in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match”. (Photo: AP)

Saturday’s incident happened on the final delivery of the 58th over when Jadeja, after fielding off his own bowling, threw the ball back at the batsman who had not left his crease. The on-field umpires deemed the throwing “in a dangerous manner” as it narrowly missed Dimuth Karunaratne. (Photo: AP)

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel has been named as a replacement for suspended Ravindra Jadeja in the 15-member Indian team for the third cricket Test against Sri Lanka, starting in Kandy on August 12. (AFP)