Kolkata: The BCCI Selection Committee put to rest all doubts surrounding Harbhajan Singh on Friday by keeping the leading Indian off-spinner out of the Test squad as well, while recalling a fit-again Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in the squad for the first of the three Tests against West Indies.
Yuvraj Singh and Ishant Sharma, who have fully recovered from their injuries suffered in England, also made a comeback into the squad. But the notable absentee was Suresh Raina, who has also been dropped after a flop show in England. Virat Kohli was preferred over Raina.
Among the new faces in the bowling department were R Ashwin, Rahul Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron, while in batting Ajinkya Rahane was rewarded for his good showing in the ODIs with a place in the Test squad as well.
In a late evening meeting here, the selectors chose not to consider Harbhajan for Tests after dropping him from the ODI team that took on England in the five-match ODI series.
Harbhajan, who has fully recovered from the injury, has been playing domestic cricket and also captained Mumbai Indians to the title in the recent Champions League Twenty20 tournament
Sehwag, who returned from England after a flare-up of his shoulder injury, played in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament and seems to have satisfied the selectors with his form and fitness.
The first Test begins on November 6. The squad for the second Test in Kolkata from November 14-18 and the third Test in Mumbai from Nov 22-26 will be announced later.
Squad for the first Test: MS Dhoni (c/wk), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Virat Kohli, Varun Aaron, Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Sharma
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