NEW DELHI: Opener Rohit Sharma will lead a young Indian side in next month`s Twenty20 tri-series in SriLankain the absence of regular skipper Virat Kohli who has been rested, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said on Sunday.

Kohli missed Saturday`s final Twenty20 against South Africa in Cape Town with a stiff back as India won the three-match series 2-1 which followed their 5-1 triumph in the one-dayers against the Proteas.

Former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was also rested, which allowed Delhi`s Rishabh Pant to join the squad as the second wicket-keeper, along with Dinesh Karthik.

The selectors also decided to leave out the pace duo of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah and named a largely young 15-member squad for the Nidahas Trophy, which also features Bangladesh, beginning on March 6 in Colombo.

`We`ve kept in mind the workload and upcoming schedule while finalising the team for Nidahas Trophy,` selection committee chairman M.S.K. Prasad said in a statement.

`The high-performance team has suggested that adequate rest should be given to our fast bowlers to help improve athletic performance, maximise rest and prevent injury.

Wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav and all-rounder Hardik Pandya were also allowed a break following the tour of South Africa.

Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), K.L. Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper).-Reuters