Yuvraj dropped from ODI squad, Gambhir fails to find a place in Test team

Mumbai: All-rounder Yuvraj Singh was today axed from India's ODI squad owing to his poor performance in South Africa even as rookies such as Ishwar Pandey and Stuart Binny got their maiden call-ups for India's tour of New Zealand starting with a one-day series from January 19.

Yuvraj, who got out to a second-ball duck the only time he came out to bat in the lost three-match ODI series against South Africa, was replaced by Stuart Binny, son of former India all-rounder Roger Binny.

Binny, 29, has played 53 first-class matches for Karnataka and scored 2714 runs at an average of 34.79, besides taking 79 wickets.

Another surprise inclusion in the team was Madhya Pradesh seamer Ishwar Pandey, who has been drafted into both the ODI and Test squad.

Fit-again pacer Varun Aaron, 24, has made a comeback to the ODI squad replacing Mohit Sharma, who failed to impress in South Africa. If he makes it to the final XI of the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, it would be Aaron's first 50-over appearance for India after 2011.

The Test team was not altered too much with Ishwar coming in place of Pragyan Ojha being the only change made to the 17-member squad for the two-match series against the Kiwis starting February 10 in Auckland after a two-day practice match.

Interestingly, Ojha did not get a single game in the two-match series against South Africa which India lost 0-1 yesterday.

The 24-year-old Ishwar, who replaces Ojha, has played 31 first-class matches, grabbing 131 wickets at an average of 24.43.

The rest of the Test line-up has been left untouched with R Ashwin, who did not impress much with his bowling, holding on to his place despite the conditions in New Zealand being not too conducive for slow bowlers.While Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli picked themselves after fine performances in the trying tour of South Africa, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have managed to retain the selectors' faith despite coming a cropper.

Senior pacer Zaheer Khan would once again spearhead the Indian pace attack in Tests with Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Pandey to support him on the seaming tracks of New Zealand.

The ODI squad also sports a pace-heavy look but the spearhead's role would be taken over by Ishant as Zaheer will not play in the five-match series.

The batting line-up remains more or less the same except for Binny coming in to take Yuvraj's place. The specialist all-rounder's role continues to belong to Ravindra Jadeja, who shone with the ball but disappointed with the bat in South Africa.

The tour of New Zealand will start with the first ODI in Napier, followed by matches in Hamilton (Jan 22 and Jan 28), Auckland (Jan 25) and Wellington (Jan 31).

The Indians will play a two-day warm-up match in Whangharei from February 2 followed by the two-match Test series in Auckland (Feb 6 to 10) and Wellington (Feb 14 to 18).

Test squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), M Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishwar Pandey.

ODI squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Stuart Binny, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ambati Rayudu, Ishwar Pandey, Ishant Sharma, Varun Aaron, Amit Mishra.

India ODI team for New Zealand to leave on Jan 12

India ODI team for New Zealand to leave on Jan 12

Mumbai: India One-day squad is all set to leave for the tour of New Zealand, where it will play a five-match series against the hosts from January 19, a week in advance in order to get acclimatised to the weather and pitch conditions there.

"The team (which was picked today) is to leave on January 12," a Cricket Board source informed PTI.

The first ODI is scheduled at the McLean Park, Napier on January 19 followed by matches on January 22 (Seddon Park, Hamilton), January 25 (Eden Park, Auckland), January 28 (Seddon Park, Hamilton) and January 31 (Westpac Stadium, Wellington).

The Board has also decided to send the Test specialists -- Zaheer Khan, Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay -- who are not a part of the ODI squad a week later, so that even they could get acclimatised to the local conditions ahead of the start of the two-Test rubber from February 6 at Eden Park, Auckland.

"Some players of the Test (team) are travelling after a week or so," Sanjay Patel, secretary of BCCI, said.

The Indian team will play a two-day warm-up game at the Cobham Oval, Whangarei, on February 2-3 ahead of their opening Test.

The second and final Test is scheduled from February 14-18 at Hawkins Basin Reserve, Wellington.

More pacers in team because of conditions: Sanjay PatelMore pacers in team because of conditions: Sanjay Patel

Mumbai: India have included an extra pacer in the Test squad for New Zealand as the conditions there would be more favourable for the fast bowlers, said Indian Cricket Board's secretary Sanjay Patel.

"There are always different experiments going on. With that thing in mind, as well as the requirement of the team and place, more pace bowlers have been selected," said Patel after the selectors chose a 17-member squad for New Zealand tour here today.

The selection panel headed by Sandeep Patil added rookie Madhya Pradesh medium pacer Ishwar Pandey as the sixth bowler in the team in place of left arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who was a part of the Test squad that lost the two-match series against South Africa at Durban yesterday. Although Ojha was not a part of the playing XI.

On the selection of Karnataka all-rounder Stuart Binny, son of South Zone selector Roger Binny, Patel said it was a unanimous choice.

"There are lot of considerations and after a lot of deliberation the team has been selected. Every selector has agreed to this. There was no dissidence and it was unanimously decided by all the selectors."

Patel defended the Indian team's poor display, which lost both the ODI and Test rubber in South Africa, saying the performance cannot be termed 'bad'.

"It is not right to say that the performance is bad. Yes, we have lost but in any game there is a winner and a loser.

"BCCI is always working on all the issues. It is not the first time that we have lost. It is not right to say that we have always done bad (overseas). In the recent past, we won the Champions Trophy (held in England in June) and the Champions Trophy is the second biggest (ICC) tournament," he said.

"We have analysed things in a much better way. Our focus is on 2015 (World Cup). The Test and ODI teams have been selected after a lot of deliberation," he added.

Asked about former IPL chairman Lalit Modi, Patel said as far as he was concerned there was nothing to be discussed.

"Lalit Modi is a closed issue as far as Sanjay Patel is concerned. He has been expelled and BCCI has decided on this," he said.