However, the two other out of form seniors — Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag — were once again ignored in the team that has all the premier performers of the recently concluded Ranji Trophy season.
Harbhajan’s inclusion as the captain means that he is still in selectors’ radar for the longer version. The same could be said for Gambhir, who had scored close to 600 runs this season and is likely to open with Punjab’s Jiwanjot Singh.
The squad has Ranji Trophy’s top-scorer Kedar Jadhav (1,223 runs) along with talented youngsters like Jiwanjot, Tamil Nadu’s Baba Aparajith, Maharashtra’s Ankit Bawne, Punjab’s Mandeep Singh, who have scored heavily in this year’s national domestic tourney.
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Odisha’s Natraj Behera, who had a prolific season despite his state not qualifying for the knock-outs, was included in the side.
The spin department will be taken care of by Harbhajan and leggie Amit Mishra while Jammu and Kashmir captain Parveez Rasool will be the third spinner.
The only questionable non-inclusion was Himachal Pradesh seamer Rishi Dhawan, who ended as the highest wicket-taker with 49 scalps.
However, the selectors have finally found a place for veteran Rajasthan seamer Pankaj Singh, who has been performing in the domestic circuit year after year. This year also, he has taken 39 wickets.
Varun Aaron is also there in the squad and the selectors would be interested in checking out whether he lasts in a rigorous five-day game where one needs to bowl a long second and even a third spell.
Bengal’s Ashoke Dinda and Railways’ Anureet Singh have also made it to the squad on the back of some match-winning performances for their respective teams.
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