Gautam Gambhir recalled for New Zealand Tests

Ousted India opener Gautam Gambhir was on Tuesday (September 27) recalled to the Indian Test team, after a gap of over two years, for the remainder of the ongoing three-match series against the visiting New Zealand side.

The Delhi opener will replace KL Rahul who was ruled out with an injury in his right hamstring. Rahul sustained the injury while batting in India's second innings and did not take further part in the first Test that the hosts won by 197 runs at Kanpur.

Gambhir, 34, last played a Test for India against England at The Oval in August 2014. However, his tally of 356 runs in the three games of the recently-concluded Duleep Trophy for India Blue, made him a favourite to take up the spot left vacant by the injured Karnataka batsman.

Meanwhile, pacer Ishant Sharma too had been ruled out of the second Test, to be played in Kolkata from September 30, as he continues to recover from chikungunya that forced him to sit out of India's 500th Test. Jayant Yadav has been named as his replacement.