In a surprising decision, the Master Blaster handed over the responsibility to Harbhajan Singh. The off-spinner, who led Mumbai to the Champions League T20 title last September, will captain the side in the fifth edition of the tournament.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly took a swipe at the selectors' decision to omit leftarm spinner Pragyan Ojha, especially after a 10-wicket haul in his last Test.
The injury to Harbhajan gave the chance to Murali Kartik to make another of his infrequent appearances in the team.
"Too much focus on Twenty20" is harming Harbhajan Singh's international cricket career but the out-of-favour Indian off-spinner needs to be supported instead of being cold shouldered, feels former Pakistan tweaker Saqlain Mushtaq.
Ashes is steeped in tradition but India versus Australia Test matches are bound by emotion.
Tendulkar relinquishing his position to Harbhajan could have a two-fold effect: on the one hand it would definitely help Tendulkar, sans any responsibility (read pressure) focus solely on his batting, and, secondly, additional responsibility might just help Harbhajan get back into rhythm.
The Indian coach said the off-spinner as well as the team is "relaxed".
Also making it to the list was left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan.
The ICC is unable to find a lasting solution to the issue of his suspect bowling action.
Embattled Ricky Ponting has received support from an unexpected quarter in the form of Harbhajan Singh who said it is a big mistake to write off the former Aussie skipper.
Describing Harbhajan Singh as an important performer for India, West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan said his team would have to "stay positive" against the off-spinner as they meet in the four-match ODI series beginning on Friday.
The Indian players now have the opportunity to etch their names in the annals of cricketing history, with Dravid's dream, their dream, finally within reach.
Delhi all-rounder Rajat Bhatia is a surprise inclusion in the 30-man shortlist, for the upcoming ICC World Twenty20, to be held in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6. It includes young Kerala wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, former India Under-19 captain Unmukt Chand, Railways leg-spinner Karan Sharma and Harbhajan Singh.
'For me, the lowest point was the phase between 2018 and 2019.'
Gautam Gambhir was the star performer for India with the bat with more than 1000 runs in both Tests and ODIs, that included three centuries each in both formats.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India appointed advocate Sudhir Nanavati as Commissioner for a preliminary inquiry into Harbhajan Singh's alleged slapping of India teammate and Indian Premier League opponent S Sreesanth.
Mumbai Indians upstaged defending champions Chennai Super Kings despite missing some key players in their Champions League Twenty20 opener and stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh felt his side's cause was helped by the inspiring presence of injured regular captain Sachin Tendulkar in the dressing room.
After getting married fairy-tale style in Udaipur, Parineeti Chopra and AAP MP Raghav Chadha returned to the latter's home in New Delhi.
Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were part of India's Test team till earlier this year, but were left out of the tour to South Africa, the selectors pinning hopes on youngsters Shubman Gill and Yashawi Jaiswal to produce the goods in challenging conditions.
Former India pacer Zaheer Khan was also pleased with Rinku this season.
The Indian off-spinner will play alongside some of the game's all-time greats in a 20 overs-a-side match against Somerset.
It is still not clear whether the off-spinner would need to undergo surgery on his injured finger
Harbhajan Singh pays tribute to Sourav Ganguly, the captain who transformed his career.
With another season of the Indian Premier League round the corner, Harbhajan Singh is hopeful that Mumbai Indians would be able to win their maiden crown this time.
Nehra retired from the game in 2017 and earlier this year coached Gujarat Titans to the title on their IPL debut.
BCCI president Sharad Pawar described as "proper" the judgement given by ICC Appeals Commissioner John Hansen, who decided to drop the racial charges against Harbhajan Singh and lifted the three-Test ban on him.
Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, called in as a last-minute addition to the squad, has been included with Anil Kumble in the 12 for the match.
Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh on Monday made their comebacks into the Indian team, for the first two Test matches against England next week.
Dubbed challenging at the start of the tour, Indian cricketers have taken a liking to the fast and bouncy pitches of South Africa with star spinner Harbhajan Singh wondering why such tracks are not prepared for them back home.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who missed out on a place in India's one-day squad for the tour of Sri Lanka because of a hamstring injury, said he would come back fitter for the subsequent series against New Zealand.
A string of Houdini acts has convinced Harbhajan Singh that the Indian cricket team has mastered the escape-to-victory art and there is nothing, including the World Cup, they cannot achieve.
The debacles of the past year and a half would weigh heavy on the national selectors when they meet in Mumbai on Sunday to pick the squad for the eagerly-awaited Test series against Australia with the form of key players being a massive concern.
The Indian cricket team held a meeting at a hotel in Sydney on Monday morning to express solidarity with Harbhajan Singh, who has been slapped with a three-Test suspension for an alleged racial abuse against Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds.
With less than a month to go for the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League, Harbhajan Singh backed the India all-rounder to play a key role for Chennai Super Kings this year.
Harbhajan Singh, who had some memorable performances against Australia, started the game of one-upmanship on Thursday by declaring that India will thrash Michael Clarke's men 4-0 in the upcoming Test series, starting February 22.
Reader Bodhisattwa Dasgupta sent us a picture of Harbhajan Singh from Mumbai.
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