The selectors have rewarded veteran offspinner Harbhajan Singh with a Test berth for the lone Test match against Bangladesh in June. While Ravindra Jadeja has been dropped from the Test team but retains his place for the three one-dayers.
However, the BCCI did not grant rest to the top players and instead picked up a full-strength teams for the tour. MS Dhoni will be leading the team in the ODIs and the Test side to be captained by Virat Kohli.
Mohammad Shami is the only notable exclusion from the squads due to injury and has been replaced by Dhawal Kulkarni in the ODI squad.
“Harbhajan has been discussed earlier as well. The selection committee has picked Harbhajan due to the strength of Bangladesh batting especially the number of left-handers they have. It was decided that Harbhajan should be there for these reasons. Captain Virat Kohli’s opinion was also taken on this,” chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil told reporters after the meeting that lasted little over an hour.
Harbhajan last played a Test for India in March 2013 against Australia in a home series. The 34-year-old is the third highest Test wicket-taker for India with 413 scalps from 101 matches.
India will be playing one Test and three ODIs starting June 10.
ODI squad: MS Dhoni (C), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Dhawal Kulkarni
Test squad: Virat Kohli (C), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron, Ishant Sharma
