China-based Brazilian stars retain their places in national team as Dunga selects them for World Cup duty

Brazil coach Dunga has called up two China-based players for World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Paraguay at the end of this month but once again left out former captain Thiago Silva.

Defender Gil and midfielder Renato Augusto left Corinthians in January for Shandong Luneng and Beijing Guoan respectively as part of a sudden exodus of stars to the Chinese league.

Ramires, who left Chelsea for Jiangsu Suning, and Alex Teixeira, who joined the same club from Shakhtar Donetsk for 50 million euros ($54.4 million), are not included, however.

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Silva is missing despite impressing in his role as captain of Paris Saint-Germain, but there is a place for former Ballon d’Or winner Kaka, who will turn 34 in April and is now plying his trade in the United States with Orlando City.

Brazil will host Uruguay in the north-eastern city of Recife on Friday, March 25 before facing Paraguay in Asuncion four days later.

Dunga’s side have seven points from their first four games in the campaign to qualify for the 2018 finals in Russia, following up a 2-0 defeat in Chile with wins over Venezuela and Peru and a draw against Argentina.