HARBHAJAN Singh didn’t find a place in the Indian squad for the first Test against West Indies beginning November 6 in New Delhi. India’s senior selection committee met in Kolkata today to pick a young Test squad against the visiting Caribbean team.
The spinners named for the series are Pragyan Ojha, Ravichandran Ashwin and, surprisingly, Rahul Sharma, whose 18 wickets in 10 First Class games hardly inspire confidence.
Harbhajan, who had completed 400 Test wickets earlier this year, has seen his form and penetrative abilities dim sharply in the last few seasons. He was last dropped from India’s Test squad in 2007.
New finds Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron have also made the cut. Suresh Raina’s poor run in Test cricket has meant that Virat Kohli gets another chance.
Either Yadav or Aaron will be in the starting line-up as Ishant Sharma’s pace partner. Ishant has had a long-term problem with his ankle and will have to be monitored carefully as he’s insisted on a surgery only after the tour of Australia.
Praveen Kumar has been left out despite his terrific show in West Indies and England, where he had led India’s attack in Zaheer Khan’s absence. He’s taken 27 wickets in his six Tests.
Skipper MS Dhoni was expected to be rested for the series given India’s gruelling touring schedule. But he will stay.

The regulars — Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman — have returned, as has Yuvraj Singh who had been recovering from a finger injury he suffered in the Nottingham Test.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt.), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Rahul Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron. Coach: Duncan Fletcher. (Yahoo Cricket)