Bangalore: Ishant Sharma was axed from both the limited-overs teams, while struggling batsman Suresh Raina was dropped from the ODI squad for the Asia Cup but was retained in the T20 side for the upcoming World T20 on Tuesday.
Cheteshwar Pujara, regarded as a Test specialist, has also been included in the squad for the Asia Cup also to be held in Bangladesh from February 25- March 8.
All-rounder Yuvraj Singh continued to be ignored for the ODI team but got the selectors’ nod for the Twenty20 tournament, to be held from March 16-April 6.
Rookie pacer Ishwar Pandey, all-rounder Stuart Binny and fast bowler Varun Aaron retained their place in the ODI squad announced by BCCI Secretary Sanjay Patel after a meeting of the selection committee.
Opener Gautam Gambhir and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who were picked in the Irani Trophy, were not named in the ODI squad.
The biggest casualty was, however, Ishant, who has been drawing flak for his poor performance in the limited-overs format, as he was dropped from both the teams to be captained by MS Dhoni.
The axe on Raina was also largely expected as the left-hander has been in wretched form for quite a while now. In fact he was dropped midway through the ODI series against New Zealand last month which India lost 0-4. Raina has scored only one fifty in his last 24 ODIs.
The selectors also reposed faith on off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who has not been very successful in overseas conditions. Ashwin found a place in both the ODI and T20 squad.
ICC World T20 squad: MS Dhoni (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Stuart Binny, Amit Mishra, Mohit Sharma, Varun Aaron
Asia Cup squad: MS Dhoni (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Chetshwar Pujara, Ambati Rayudu, Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Varun Aaron, Stuart Binny, Amit Mishra, Ishwar Pandey. (PTI)
