India coming in full strength
Bangladesh cricket is set to brace itself for yet another exciting home challenge after India announced full strength sides for the one-off Test and three ODIs against the Tigers on Wednesday.
Virat Kohli will lead the Indian Test side in the lone game that starts at Fatullah on June 10. Mahendra Singh Dhoni will captain the one-day side, burying speculations that some key members of the India team who have been on the road since last October would be rested.
This is good news for spectators and fans alike and the mood in the Tigers camp was that they were least bothered about the cast and characters of their latest opponent. Rather they were more focused on confronting perhaps their biggest challenge after a more than impressive home series against Pakistan.
The last time India toured Bangladesh was in June last year, when an under strength visiting side won the ODI series 2-0. The other game was washed out.
Meanwhile, PTI adds: Sidelined for more than two years, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Wednesday returned to India's Test squad for the cricket tour of Bangladesh.
The five-member selection panel headed by Sandeep Patil decided to go with full strength squads for both the one off Test and the three ODIs.
An injured knee has forced pacer Mohammed Shami out of the tour and the selectors have picked medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni to replace him in the ODI squad. Kulkarni has played only four ODIs so far and has taken 8 wickets.
Harbhajan's inclusion was the lone surprise in the Test side.
“Harbhajan has been discussed earlier as well. The selection committee has picked Harbhajan due to the strength of Bangladesh batting especially the number of left-handers they have. It was decided that Harbhajan should be there for these reasons. Captain Virat Kohli's opinion was also taken on this,” Patil told reporters after the meeting that lasted little over an hour.
Harbhajan last played a Test for India in March 2013 against Australia in a home series. The 34-year-old is the third highest Test wicket-taker for India with 413 scalps to his credit in 101 matches.
SQUADS
Test: Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma.
ODI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Dhawal Kulkarni.
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