New Delhi: All-rounder Yusuf Pathan has been recalled into the Indian one-day team for the first two matches against South Africa.
India, however, were dealt with a blow to their batting line-up with opening batsman Gautam Gambhir ruled out of the three-match series with a groin injury. Continue reading below
The selectors on Tuesday named the 15-man squad in Kolkata which also included rookie Tamil Nadu off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who replaced Harbhajan Singh who made himself unavailable for the first two games.
The Indian ODI side, which last contested the tri-series final against Sri Lanka in Bangladesh last month, also included Mumbai all-rounder Abhishek Nayar and Praveen Kumar. Ashish Nehra, a part of the Indian limited overs sides, also returned.
Baroda all-rounder Yusuf, whose centuries in both innings in the final of the Duleep Trophy led West Zone to a record chase, last played for India in the Champions Trophy in South Africa last year.
On a day he earned his Indian recall, Yusuf blasted the second fastest century in List A cricket by reaching the mark off just 40 balls to signal his destructive form.
Ashwin and Amit Mishra's inclusion meant there was no place for left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, while Dinesh Karthik retained his place in the squad of 15.
The first ODI will be played in Jaipur on February 21 while Gwalior will host the second match on February 24. The three-match series will end in Ahmedabad on February 27.
The squad: MS Dhoni (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli, Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Sudeep Tyagi, Praveen Kumar, Abhishek Nayar, Yusuf Pathan, Amit Mishra.
