India vs New Zealand: R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja Rested Again; KL Rahul Left Out Of ODI Series Squad

The All-India Senior Selection Committee on Saturday named the Indian Cricket Team for the three-match One-Day International series against New Zealand. India's premier off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who were rested from the recent limited-overs series against Australia, once again missed out while Test opener KL Rahul also failed to find a place in the 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against New Zealand. Rahul was included in the limited-overs series against Australia but didn't feature in the playing XI even in a single match.

Wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik and pacer Shardul Thakur were also recalled for the three-match series. Karthik last played for India during the West Indies tour in July. He was also a part of the Champions Trophy squad.

The 32-year-old was named in the India T20 squad for the recently-concluded Australia series but did not get a game.

Speedster Thakur was ignored for the series against Australia after playing in Sri Lanka. Now, he has been picked in place of senior pacer Umesh Yadav, who was left out.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan, who missed the ODI series against Australia due to his wife's illness, has also returned to the side. He did play the T20 series against the Aussies.

The spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja has not played for India since the Test series in Sri Lanka two months ago. Young spinners Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar Patel are the three specialist spinners in their absence.

Since the start of the 2015 World Cup till the final ODI in Nagpur against Australia, India have played 55 ODIs, but Ashwin and Jadeja have featured in less than half of those games.

Jadeja was infact called up for the first three ODIs against Australia as a replacement for the injured Axar Patel but failed to get a look-in and was conveniently dropped from the next two matches after Axar was declared fit.

Ashwin has played 12 ODIs in the past 2 years and has managed to take just 11 wickets at an economy rate of 5.79. In T20Is, the right-arm off-spinner has fared a little better, taking 27 wickets in 20 matches at an economy rate of 6.49.

Meanwhile, Jadeja has played 15 ODIs in the last two years and has taken just 11 wickets at an economy rate of 5.27 while in T20Is, he has taken 17 wickets in 18 matches at a high economy rate of 7.26.

In the absence of seniors like Jadeja and Ashwin, youngsters Kuldeep and Chahal have completed the challenges thrown at them with great aplomb.

Kuldeep finished as the top wicket-taker for India and third overall in the ODI series against Australia, after Nathan Coulter-Nile and Kane Richardson. The left-arm wrist spinner claimed 7 wickets in four ODIs at an average of 30.00, while Chahal claimed six wickets, averaging 28.66.

India are scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is against the visiting New Zealand team.

The first ODI will be played on October 22 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

SQUAD:

Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shardul Thakur.