BCCI release Hanuma Vihari and Mohammed Siraj for Vijay Hazare Trophy

With the quarter-final of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy getting underway earlier today, the BCCI have released Hanuma Vihari and Mohammed Siraj from the Indian Test team that is playing West Indies in the second Test in Hyderabad and have asked the pair to represent their respective teams in the quarter-finals.

Out of the four substitutes for the second Test which includes the likes of Mayank Agarwal and Mohammed Shami, only Siraj and Vihari's teams have made it to the quarters. To replace the duo in the squad, BCCI have called up limited-overs specialist Manish Pandey and Punjab batsman Shubman Gill to join the Indian squad in Hyderabad.

"Mohammed Siraj & Hanuma Vihari have been released from the Test squad to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Knockouts. Manish Pandey and Shubman Gill have been drafted into the side as substitutes," a BCCI statement read.

Update: Mohammed Siraj & Hanuma Vihari have been released from the Test squad to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Knockouts. Manish Pandey and Shubman Gill have been drafted into the side as substitutes.

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 14, 2018

Vihari and Siraj will fly from Hyderabad to Bangalore where their quarter-final is scheduled to take place. Vihari will lead Andhra in the tie against Hyderabad that has Siraj in their ranks. In the first set of quarter-finals that is being played today, Mumbai are taking on Bihar at the Just Academy Cricket Ground in Bangalore while Delhi play Haryana at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the city.

On the second day, Maharashtra will play Jharkhand at the M Chinnaswamy stadium while Andhra and Hyderabad will play in a local derby of their own at the Just Cricket Academy Ground tomorrow (October 15). The winners of these matches will play in the semis on October 17 and 18 while the final will be played on October 20.

Some of India's limited-overs specialists are playing in the quarters for their respective state sides. Rohit Sharma is playing for Mumbai against Bihar while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal is in the Haryana XI that is playing Delhi. Ambati Rayudu is expected to play for Hyderabad tomorrow. Former skipper MS Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan are notable absentees as they won't be playing for Jharkhand and Delhi in the quarters.