Mumbai: Delhi lad Virat Kohli has been rewarded for his fine showing during the Emerging Players Cup in Australia with a place in the One-Day teams for Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy thereafter by the Indian selection committee, which met here on Thursday.
India’s new strike bowler Ishant Sharma has been rested from the 16-member squad for Sri Lanka, where the Indians are scheduled to play a five-match One-Day series after the on-going Test series starting from August 18 while the Delhi speedster figures in the 15-member team for Pakistan for the Champions Trophy to be held from September 11 to 28. Continue reading below
Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, who missed the tri-series in Bangladesh and Asia Cup in Pakistan due to groin injury, is the only senior player to figure in both the teams.
Selectors also decided to blood young left arm spinner Pragyan Ojha from Hyderabad in place of leg spinner Piyush Chawla and persisted with all-rounder Irfan Pathan in both the teams leaving out his elder brother Yusuf Pathan, who was less than impressive during India’s twin tour to Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Also making a comeback to the Indian One-Day team is wicketkeeper-batsman Parthiv Patel, who is named in the team for the Emerald Isle but not for Champions Trophy like his fellow Gujarathi and medium pacer Munaf Patel.
The teams to be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who attended the one-hour long meeting chaired by former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar, also sees off-spinner Harbhajan Singh make a comeback after his ban due to slap-gate controversy. Stylish left hand batsman Yuvraj Singh will be Dhoni’s deputy in both the teams.
The selection committee convener and the Indian cricket board (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah told the media after announcing the teams that Ishant Sharma has been rested for the One-Day series but failed to elaborate on whose insistence. Earleir, during the second Test, Indian coach Gary Kirsten had asked the two selectors (Sanjay Jagdale and Venkatpathi Raju) present in Sri Lanka to rest Ishant due to a packed schedule later this year.
"The selectors have decided to rest Ishant Sharma while another fast bowler S Sreesanth was not considered for selection as he has been asked to play domestic matches to get match fit," Shah told the media.
The teams (for Sri Lanka): M S Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh (vice-captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, R P Singh, Pragyan Ohja, Irfan Pathan, Virat Kohli, Munaf Patel and Parthiv Patel.
Team for Champions Trophy: M S Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh (vice-captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, R P Singh, Pragyan Ohja, Irfan Pathan, Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma.
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