Nehra replaces Pathan for remaining two Tests

The left-arm paceman has replaced injured Pathan for the final two Tests of India's four-match home series.

Left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra was on Monday recalled while struggling wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel was retained in the 15-member Indian squad for the remaining two Tests against Australia.

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Nehra, who was brought in place of pace spearhead Irfan Pathan, suffering from a side strain, was the only change in the squad announced by Cricket Board secretary S K Nair in Chennai.

Although Sachin Tendulkar's availability for the third Test starting in Nagpur on October 26 was still not known, Nair said the national selectors decided to retain him in the squad hoping that the batting maestro would recover in time for the match.

Captain Sourav Ganguly, who also attended the selection committee meeting, said the team was keeping its fingers crossed and hoping that Tendulkar would be fit for the Nagpur match.

Tendulkar is recuperating from an elbow injury and has missed action since the last two months but is expected to take some part in the ongoing series which the Australians are leading 1-0.

"The wicketkeeper's slot was discussed but the selectors decided to give Pathiv Patel one more chance," Nair said.

Patel was shoddy behind the stumps both in the Bangalore and Chennai Tests, dropping a few chances and also missing stumping opportunities but his good work with the bat may have worked in his favour.

Team: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Akash Chopra, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohd Kaif, Parthiv Patel, Ajit Agarkar, Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Murali Kartik.