India recall Mohammed Shami and pick Rishabh Pant for ODI series against West Indies

Shami, who last played an ODI against Australia in 2017, was included in 14-member team for first two games

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami had been on the sidelines of India's ODI team for much of 2018. AFP

India has recalled fast bowler Mohammed Shami to the one-day international squad for the first two matches against West Indies, the national chief selector said on Thursday.

Shami, 28, who last played an ODI against Australia in September 2017, was included in the 14-member team led by Virat Kohli.

Shami will spearhead the team's pace attack comprising Shardul Thakur and up and coming left-arm paceman Khaleel Ahmed, who made his debut in the recent Asia Cup 50-overs tournament.

"We are just 18 ODIs from now before we play our first World Cup game [in England next year], so we need to figure out our fast bowlers. In that process we have picked Shami," MSK Prasad said in Hyderabad.

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"We are also very close to settling the middle-order batting and have closed in on a couple of names," the former India wicketkeeper-batsman said.

Pacemen Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been rested for the first two ODI matches scheduled for October 21 and 24 in Guwahati and Visakhapatnam.

Meanwhile Rishabh Pant, who has impressed with his attacking left-hand batting, has been added as a back-up wicketkeeper as part of his grooming exercise under MS Dhoni.

India will head into the ODI series after playing the second and final Test in Hyderabad starting on Friday. The two teams will also play three Twenty20 internationals.

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