Bhuvneshwar back in Indian Test squad, Gambhir dropped

Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir was dropped while medium pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was recalled to the 16-member Indian squad for the remaining three Tests of the ongoing five-match series against England.

India lead the five-match series 1-0 after their comprehensive 246-run victory in the the second Test in Visakhapatnam.

Gambhir made 20 and 0 in the first Test against England before he was replaced by KL Rahul for the second match in Visakhapatnam. The Karnataka right-hander Rahul was pulled out of an ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Rajasthan to be brought into the Indian team but he also managed 0 and 10 in the two innings of the second Test.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar was asked to play in the Ranji Trophy to prove his fitness after he had sustained a back strain during the second Test against New Zealand in Kolkata. He claimed a couple of wickets for Uttar Pradesh against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy match in Mysore last week and promptly included as the fourth fast bowler in the Indian squad, which also boasts of four spinners.

The third Test will be played in Mohali, from November 26.

Team: Virat Kohli (captain), Ajinkya Rahane, KL Rahul , Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Karun Nair, Wriddhiman Saha (w/k), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hardik Pandya.