Ishant in team for Bangladesh Test series

Struggling pacer Ishant Sharma was recalled to India's 16-member Test squad for the two-match series against Bangladesh, starting January 17 in Chittagong.

The gangling Delhi speedster, who is struggling to find his rhythm of late, gets another opportunity to prove his worth.

Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman S Badrinath, who featured in India's squad that played the last Test against Sri Lanka at home, was dropped from the team, announced by Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary N Srinivasan after a brief meeting of the selection committee in Chennai.

The selectors barely took 15 minutes to finalise the squad, to be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

There are no surprises in the squad. Sachin Tendulkar, who was rested from the ongoing ODI tri-series, will return to action for the two Tests, in Chittagong (January 17 to 21) and Mirpur (January 24 to 28).

Uttar Pradesh pacer Sudeep Tyagi made his way into the team, which has four specialist pacers, Zaheer Khan being the spearhead.

As expected, veterans like Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, regarded as Test specialists, found a place in the side.

Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay was included as reserve opener, Virender Sehwag and Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir being the regulars.

The middle-order has the ever-reliable Dravid, Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and skipper Dhoni.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh will shoulder the spin bowling responsibility along with leg-spinner Amit Mishra and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Dinesh Karthik was included as the second wicketkeeper.

The squad: M S Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Amit Mishra, Pragyan Ojha, Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay, Dinesh Karthik, Sudeep Tyagi.