Press Trust of India
New Delhi, June 29: Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh staged a comeback to the ODI squad after a gap of four years as a second-string team was named Monday for next month’s tour of Zimbabwe with the selectors opting to rest most of the senior players.
Batsman Robin Uthappa also made a return to the ODI side, while paceman Sandeep Sharma and leg-spinner Karn Sharma were included in the team to be captained by Ajinkya Rahane.
Opener Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were among the senior players picked in the squad announced by BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur after the selection committee meeting here.
Manoj Tiwary, who had been struggling with injuries for some time, has been recalled into the side largely benefitting from the absence of the senior players.
“The Indian team did not do well in Bangladesh, we felt the same. But we have to move forward and considering the domestic cricket to be played, we have picked this side, looking at the 2016 T20 World Cup,” chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil told reporters. “We had to rest a few players keeping in mind the upcoming series against Sri Lanka and South Africa. They needed a break urgently.”
The team comprises three specialist spinners in Harbhajan, Axar Patel and Karn Sharma, while the pace department will be spearheaded by Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma and Stuart Binny for company.
“We cannot say on long-term basis but looking at Harbhajan’s performance in the last series, we feel that he deserves a chance on this tour,” Patil said about Harbhajan.
“The selectors’ job is to pick the best possible combination. The rest is left to the team management. Once we select the team, it is left to the captain and coach to make up the playing XI,” he added.
Most of the senior players like regular ODI skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Test captain Virat Kohli, openers Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, off-spinner R Ashwin, have been rested for the series.
The squad: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma.
