Monday 10 November 2014 16:46, UK
Virat Kohli will skipper India in the first Test against Australia in Brisbane next month.
Kohli will lead the side in the absence of injured Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is likely to return for the second match.
Sanjay Patel, BCCI secretary, said: "MS Dhoni has been rested for the first Test as a prophylactic measure to ensure optimum recovery.
"He will join the team from the second Test onwards and will lead the team for the rest of the Test series." Dhoni is reportedly suffering from a hand injury.
In Dhoni's absence, Wriddhiman Saha is expected to keep wicket at the Gabba, with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin the main spearhead for India's slow bowling department.
Umesh Yadav, who played the last of his nine Tests against England in 2012, returns to join Ishant Sharma in the pace attack which also includes Varun Aaron and Mohammed Shami.
There are call-ups for bowler Karn Sharma and 22-year-old batsman Lokesh Rahul.
Rahul, who has never experienced international cricket, has been rewarded for his rich vein of form in domestic cricket.
Left-hander Sharma, who bowls leg-break googlies, has never played at Test level but did face England at Edgbaston in September of this year in a T20 international.
Test matches: 1st Test Brisbane (Dec 4-8); 2nd Test Adelaide (Dec 12-16); 3rd Test Melbourne (Dec 26-30) and 4th Test Sydney (Jan 3-7).
19-man Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Naman Ojha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Karn Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron.
