NEW DELHI — All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja returned to India’s Test fold after more than a year’s absence Monday even as injured spin spearhead Ravichandran Ashwin was rested from the one-day squad.
Jadeja, 26, was included in the 16-man squad for the first two Tests of the four-match series against world No. 1 South Africa, in Mohali from Nov. 5-9 and Bangalore from Nov. 14-18.
The left-arm spinner and useful lower order batsman, who played the last of his 12 Tests in England in Aug. 2014, was back in favor after claiming 24 wickets and scoring 91 and 58 in two first-class matches earlier this month.
Jadeja joins leg-spinner Amit Mishra as the third slow bowler in the side alongside off-spinner Ashwin, who is recovering from a side strain suffered during the first ODI against the Proteas in Kanpur on Oct. 11.
The selectors, keen to have Ashwin fit for the Tests, have rested him for the last two one-dayers in Chennai and Mumbai even though South Africa lead the series 2-1.
The Test squad also includes fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who will miss the first match due to a one-Test suspension for bad behavior during the preceding tour of Sri Lanka.
Openers Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, who were injured in Sri Lanka, return to the Test side along with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.
Fast bowler Umesh Yadav has been replaced by left-arm seamer Sreenath Aravind for the last two one-dayers. Yadav will, however, be back for the Tests.
Test batsman Cheteshwar Pujara will lead a Board President’s team side for a two-day match against the tourists in Mumbai on October 30 and 31.
Test squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Lokesh Rahul, Stuart Binny, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma.
One-day squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Axar Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Mohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sreenath Aravind, Stuart Binny, Ambati Rayudu, Gurkeerat Mann.
Ball color change
Cricket’s governing body Monday said it was considering the use of non-red colored balls in Test matches to avoid the scenario that arose in the first match between Pakistan and England in Abu Dhabi last week.
England was denied a dramatic win on the fifth and final day Saturday, falling short by 25 runs in chasing 99 when umpires called off play eight overs earlier due to bad light.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richards admitted the issue of playing in bad light was still unresolved.
“We are pinning some hopes on developing a different color ball, pink ball at this stage, if we could use that for the day/night Test cricket and if it stays in a decent enough condition.”
Australia and New Zealand will play with a pink ball in the first-ever day-night Test in Adelaide next month. — Agencies
