BCCI names replacements

Deciding between a cash-rich, multinational T20 extravaganza and a warm-up match against a formidable Australian Test team might have seemed quite a dilemma for the BCCI. But, predictably, it's the Champions League T20 that Ravichandran Ashwin (Chennai Super Kings), Virat Kohli and Abhimanyu Mithun (both Royal Challengers Bangalore) will be worrying about in the coming days and not Ricky Ponting & Co, after the national selectors decided to allow the three youngsters to fulfill their obligations towards their respective IPL franchises.
The trio had been originally picked for the Board President's XI in the tour opener at Mohali starting Saturday (the Champions League final is scheduled for Sunday) but have been replaced by Saurabh Tiwary, Ashoke Dinda and Pragyan Ojha in the Gautam Gambhir-led team. "It was decided that these players should continue with the Champions League. So we made the three necessary changes in the Board President's XI," said BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty.
A national selector told The Indian Express that it would be wrong to make the three players miss the Champions League. "It will be hard on the teams if we call those players back now. The likes of Kohli and Ashwin are crucial for their respective sides and will find it very difficult to replace them at this stage," he said. He added that Rohit Sharma was one of the original replacements but with the Mumbai batsman down with flu, the selectors had to opt for Tiwary.