Speedster Zaheer Khan and spinner Harbhajan Singh failed to get a place in the much-awaited Test series against the West Indies, which will be the last cricket series of master blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Ravindra Jadeja was also ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane have been retained as the openers, closing the doors on Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh too failed to find a place in the team. Rohit Sharma was preferred over these players.
In bowling, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shami Ahmed will spearhead the pace attack, while Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra will be the key spinners to watch for on Indian wicket.
India and West Indies will play two Test matches in Kolkata and Mumbai in November. Sachin will retire after playing his 199th and 200th Test matches.
Team: MS Dhoni (C/WK), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra, Ajinkya Rahane, Umesh Yadav, Shami Ahmed, Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma.
