India keep faith with Rohit Sharma for New Zealand Test series

Rohit Sharma has retained his spot in India’s Test squad for the three-match series against New Zealand but there is no room for all-rounder Stuart Binny and seamer Shardul Thakur.

Sharma, who holds the record for highest One Day International score after hitting 264 against Sri Lanka in 2014, has seen his position in the Test line-up come under scrutiny.

An automatic choice in India's limited-overs sides, Sharma's average from 18 Test matches is 32.62. He scored nine and 41 in the third Test in West Indies at Gros Islet and did not get a chance to bat in the final match of the series at Port of Spain, which was washed out.

Binny and Thakur were also part of the travelling party that helped India claim a 2-0 series win over the West Indies earlier this summer, but miss out after selectors whittled the squad down to 15 players for the visit of the Black Caps.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will lead India's slow-bowling attack, aided by leggie Amit Mishra and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav are the three pacemen in India's squad.

Virat Kohli will captain the side when the series gets underway in Kanpur on September 22. Kolkata (September 30) and Indore (October 8) are the other two venues.

India squad in full: Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Virat Kohli (captain), Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicketkeeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

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