Dhoni returns to India ODI & T20 squads

Christopher Devine

Dhoni returns to India ODI & T20 squads image

India have recalled former skipper MS Dhoni for their limited-overs matches against Australia and New Zealand.

Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Dhoni has endured a disappointing year in one-day internationals, averaging just 25, and was dropped for the recent Twenty20 series against West Indies and Australia, with Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant sharing the gloves.

However, India skipper Virat Kohli insisted last month that Dhoni remains a "very integral" part of India's team.

And the 37-year-old has been named in both the ODI squad to face Australia and New Zealand in January, and the T20 party that will take on the Black Caps.

Although Karthik is in both squads and Pant is included in the T20 group, Dhoni was listed as the wicketkeeper when the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the selections in a media release on Monday.

Following the ongoing Test series with Australia, five-day keeper Pant is set to play for India A in a one-day series against England Lions.

Karthik returns to the ODI squad in Pant's place, while Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya are also back at the expense of Umesh Yadav and Manish Pandey.

Dhoni, Pandya and Kedar Jadhav are the three men brought back into the T20 fray, with Yadav, Pandey, Shreyas Iyer and Washington Sundar omitted.

 

India ODI squad to face Australia and New Zealand: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav.

India T20 squad to face New Zealand: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni (wicketkeeper), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav.

Christopher Devine