Nidahas Trophy won't lose its gloss in absence of star Team India players: SLC chief

Mumbai: Officials of the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) are not concerned about Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) decision to rest the seniors and send relatively younger players for the 2018 Nidahas Trophy T20 tri-nation series to be played in March.

BCCI selectors have rested captain Virat Kohli and the other limited-over specialists like MS Dhoni (on his own request), Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya for the upcoming tournament.

"Sri Lanka is playing against India and not with the individual players," SLC chief Thilanga Sumathipala, speaking exclusively, commented.

"We have also kept Angelo Mathews, Kusal Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Lasith Malinga away," he added.

Few of the above players are on injury list, however, the tournament will not lose its gloss, believes Sumathipala.

Bangladeshi fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza was not willing to come out of T20I retirement, it was learnt.

According to the highly placed sources in Dhaka, the 35-year-old right-handed fast bowler was urged to come out of the retirement for the tournament but in the absence of any positive response from the bowler, the selectors have chosen the 15-member squad and the same was scheduled to be announced on Monday.

"Our team has no Mortaza. He has not been considered because he showed no interest in spite of the request by the BCB chief," the source said exclusively.

"The team has no bunch of new players. Our team is struggling in T-20s and therefore relatively experienced players are picked," he continued.

The team is being led by Shakib Al Hasan.

"The BCB is yet to finalize the coach post and therefore Sujon will travel with the team and will again act as a technical director", the source further added.