Gambhir, Ishant find place in Indian cricket team ,Rohit out due to injury

Mumbai: Gujarat's 23-year old Hardik Pandya, though yet to cement his place in One dayers, has made cut into Indian test cricket team which is slated to play five test matches against visiting England side starting November 9 next.

With three of regulars K L Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are out due to injury, old war horse Gautam Gambhir, fresh from his 147 in the last Ranji Trophy match, also makes it to the side, announced by the five-member cricket selection committee of BCCI headed by M S K Prasad here this afternoon. Hardik was preferred over Start Binny and Rishi Dhawan in the slot of all rounder.

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The committee picked Virat Kohli-led 15-member Indian Cricket Team for first two matches which also figures pace spreadhead Ishant Sharma while Shardul Thakur of Mumbai fails to retain his test place. The notable inclusion, rightly so, is of Karun Nair who lost it last time against new Zealand despite being in the reckoning. The poor performance of Manish pandey in the recent ODI series against NZ also cost him his place.

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Pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar also lost the place due to injury while Jayant Yadav also ensures his place as specialist spinner. Rohit Sharma who is nursing his injury has to be out of action for about eight weeks, according to BCCI spokesman.

Team Virat Kohli (capt.), Gautam Gambhir, M Vijay,Cheteshwar Pujara,Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Mohammad Shami, Wriddhiman Saha (WK) , Karun Nair, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ishant Sharma, Jayant Yadav.

India and England will play first test match of the series from November 9 at Rajkot in Gujarat. India, currently the top test side in ICC rankings, has recently crushed new Zealand by 3-0. It will host England after a gap of four years when it takes on Alistair Cook-led English side.

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