Virat Kohli rested for Lanka T20s, All-rounder Pawan Negi included

Vice captain Virat Kohli was on Monday rested for the upcoming

Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka as the selectors included all-rounder Pawan Negi for the three-match rubber, beginning February 9.

Kohli was in supreme form in the just-concluded Australia T20 series, where he scored 199 runs at an average of 199 with three half-centuries.

Kohli has played 10 one-dayers and five T20s apart from four Test matches from the month of October to end of January.

Roookie all-rounder Negi, who has played under M.S. Dhoni for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL, and had a reasonably successful Mushtaq Ali and Deodhar Trophy, has been brought in as a cover for Ravindra Jadeja.

Manish Pandey has also been rewarded for his match-winning century in the Sydney ODI against Australia as the selectors named him in the 15-member T20 squad.

The selection panel chose to drop Rishi Dhawan, Gurkeerat Mann and Umesh Yadav from the squad.