Yuvraj dropped from India squad for New Zealand

Seamers Ishwar Pandey and Varun Aaron get a look-in.

Yuvraj Singh has struggled in the last few ODIs for India. Arun Sankar K / AP Photo

NEW DELHI // Indian selectors on Tuesday dropped experienced all-rounder Yuvraj Singh from the one-day international squad for an upcoming tour of New Zealand, which will consist of five ODIs and two Tests.

The 32-year-old left-hander, who was man of the series during India’s triumph at the 2011 World Cup at home, did not figure in the 16-member squad after scoring only one half-century in his last 12 one-day innings and also having little success with the ball.

Yuvraj has been having a turbulent time since the World Cup as he fought off a rare germ cancer to make a comeback last year.

He was dropped for this year’s Champions Trophy that India won in England, before again figuring in one-day games against Australia, West Indies and South Africa.

Rookie seam bowler Ishwar Pandey was named in both the Test and one-day squads while pace bowler Varun Aaron made a comeback to the one-day squad after a gap of two years following a back injury.

Pandey has been prolific in domestic cricket with a tally of 131 wickets in 31 first-class games and 22 in 16 domestic one-dayers.

A surprise entry in the one-day squad was 29-year-old all-rounder Stuart Binny, the son of former India player Roger Binny, who was a member of the World Cup-winning squad of 1983 and is presently a national selector.

In what was the only change to the Test squad that toured South Africa, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha made way for Pandey.

India’s tour of New Zealand starts with the first of five one-dayers in Napier on January 19. The other ODIs will be played in Hamilton (January 22), Auckland (January 25), Hamilton (January 28) and Wellington (January 31).

India will then play a two-day practice game at Whangarei on February 2-3 before the Test matches in Auckland (February 6-10) and Wellington (February 14-18).