Jadeja Recalled to Test Squad, Replaces Harbhajan

New Delhi, Oct 19 (IANS) India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who had fallen out of favour with the national selectors, has been brought back to the Test squad after a gap of around 14 months for the first two matches against South Africa, starting on November 5.

What prompted his inclusion was that Jadeja had scored 149 runs and picked up 24 wickets in the two Ranji Trophy games he has played so far this season. However, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been left out of the Test outfit.

Though offie Ravichandran Ashwin is still recovering from a side strain, he has been selected in the 16-member Test squad.

The selectors have made only one change for the remaining two One-Day Internationals against South Africa, replacing Umesh Yadav with Sreenath Arvind, who played in the three-match Twenty20 International series which India lost 0-2.

India currently trail the ODI series 1-2 with the fourth match to be played on Thursday in Chennai.

The squads:

India ODI squad for last two matches: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain, wicketkeeper), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Axar Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Mohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sreenath Arvind, Stuart Binny, Ambati Rayudu, Gurkeerat Mann.

India Test squad for first two games: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Lokesh Rahul, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma.

Board President XI: Cheteshwar Pujara, Lokesh Rahul, Unmukt Chand, Karun Nair, Shreyas Iyer, Naman Ojha, Hardik Pandya, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Nathu Singh, Karn Sharma, Sheldon Jackson.