India rest Kohli for T20 series v Lankans

Having starred in the Twenty20 whitewash of Australia, India have rested Virat Kohli for their series with Sri Lanka - to ensure he's ready for the WC.

India are resting star batsman Virat Kohli for the Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka. (AAP)

India are resting batting mainstay Virat Kohli for the three Twenty20 matches against Sri Lanka this month with an eye on the World Cup on home soil.

Kohli, the world's top-ranked T20 batsman, enjoyed a prolific run of form to help India complete a 3-0 series whitewash in Australia on Sunday.

With Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men kicking off their bid for a second Twenty20 World Cup in six weeks, the team have decided to rest Kohli who was top-scorer in the series in Australia.

India recalled Bhuvneshwar Kumar after the paceman sustained a thumb injury in Australia and missed the Twenty20 series.

Left-arm spinner Pawan Negi received his first call-up to the India squad who play Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 International in Pune on February 9.

Ranchi and Visakhapatnam host the other matches.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pawan Negi.