Rookie Karnataka paceman Abhimanyu Mithun and Bengal wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha were today named in India's 15-member squad for the first Test against South Africa beginning in Nagpur from February 6.
Ravaged by injuries to key players like Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and paceman S Sreesanth, the national selectors brought in Tamil Nadu middle-order batsman S Badrinath, while opener Murali Vijay retained his place in the sqaud.
Apart from Mithun and Saha's inclusion, there were no major suprises in the squad announced by BCCI secretary N Srinivasan after a meeting of the selection committee here.
Rahul Dravid, who sustained a face injury in the second Test against Bangladesh, has been advised rest for three weeks, while Yuvraj Singh has also been ruled out of the Test series due to an injury to his left wrist.
Uttar Pradesh paceman Sudeep Tyagi, who also featured in the squad that toured Bangladesh, has retained his place. Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has been dropped with the selectors opting for the young Saha in his place.
Stylish batsman VVS Laxman, who had also suffered a finger injury during the Test series against Bangladesh, has recovered sufficiently to be drafted into the squad.
Indian Team for the First Test: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, S Badrinath, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Amit Mishra, Sudeep Tyagi, Pragyan Ojha, Abhimanyu Mithun, Wridhiman Saha.
