Zaheer in, Harbhajan out for India

NEW DELHI, Nov 26 (AFP): India recalled fragile pace spearhead Zaheer Khan Saturday for the Australia tour pending a fitness test, but continued to ignore seasoned spinner Harbhajan Singh. Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead the 17-man squad with Virender Sehwag as his deputy for the four-Test series starting next month, the Indian cricket board said in a media release. Injury-prone Zaheer, 33, has been sidelined since damaging a hamstring on the opening day of the Test series in England in July and later also underwent ankle surgery. The left-armer's injury triggered a free-fall by the Indians, who were blanked 4-0 in the Test series to lose their number one ranking to the hosts, before being humbled 3-0 in the one-dayers. Zaheer, who has been training at the nets for the last month, must prove his fitness in two first-class games for Mumbai before his selection is confirmed. India will hope Zaheer, who has 273 wickets from 79 Tests, is declared fit because the rest of the bowling attack is very inexperienced.