MUMBAI: Wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel has retained his place in the India side for the fourth Test against England after Wriddhiman Saha failed to recover from a thigh strain, the team said on Tuesday.

Pace bowler Ishant Sharma, who has not played any of the three Tests so far, was also released from the team for the Mumbai Test which starts from Thursday after local media reports that he was getting married.

“The BCCI medical team has confirmed that wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha is still recuperating from the strain in his left thigh, which he sustained during the second test match,” the BCCI said in a statement. “As a precautionary measure, Saha has been advised rest. The BCCI medical team is monitoring the wicketkeeper-batsman’s progress.”

Saha replaced Mahendra Singh Dhoni as India’s Test wicket-keeper after the former captain retired from the five-day format at the end of 2014.

The 31-year-old Patel was brought in for the third Test in Mohali, which Virat Kohli’s side won by eight wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the best of five series.

Patel, who had not played a Test since 2008, opened the innings with Murali Vijay and scored 42 and 67 not out in the match.

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not made a decision on the fate of the final Test match against England next week, but is monitoring the situation in Chennai following the death of Indian politician Jayalalithaa Jayaraman on Monday.

Jayalalithaa was chief minister of southern India’s Tamil Nadu state, of which Chennai is the capital.

The fifth Test in the current series between India and England is scheduled to be held at Chennai’s M.A. Chidambaram Stadium from Dec 16 to 20, but local media reported that the BCCI is considering switching venues.

“An unfortunate incident has taken place in Chennai, but the BCCI is making clear that no decision has been taken regarding Chennai Test,” BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke told a news conference on Tuesday. “We’re keeping a close watch on the situation and taking inputs from the local association about sentiments of the people. We will act accordingly.”

Published in Dawn December 7th, 2016