Associated Press
India have recalled offspinner Harbhajan Singh for a one-off Test against Bangladesh next month, on a tour which will also feature three one-day internationals.
The 34-year-old Harbhajan, who last played in a home Test series against Australia in March 2013, was picked on Wednesday in the Virat Kohli-led side despite limited success in first-class cricket this past season.
Harbhajan, who has 413 wickets from 101 Tests, finds himself in the team along with regular Test offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
“Bangladesh has quite a few left-handers, so we thought a second offspinner was needed,” chief selector Sandeep Patil said in Mumbai. “We discussed it with captain Virat Kohli, and a decision was taken after considering other options.”
Bangladesh openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque and Soumya Sarkar, all left-handers, plundered runs during a recent home series against Pakistan.
India frontline pace bowler Mohammed Shami was not available for the tour because of a knee injury, while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja missed out.
MS Dhoni, who has retired from Test cricket, will lead the ODI squad.
The Test will be at Fatullah from June 10-14, with the ODIs scheduled at Mirpur on June 18, 21 and 24.
There are reserve days for the ODIs since the series will be during the monsoon season.
India Test squad: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli (captain), Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma.
India ODI squad: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Dhawal Kulkarni.
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