NEW DELHI: India handed a maiden Test call-up to paceman Jasprit Bumrah on Monday, naming the right-arm fast bowler in a 17-man squad for the three-match series in South Africa next month.

Wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel also returned to the test ranks after a year out as back-up to Wriddhiman Saha.

“This is one of the most balanced sides to tour South Africa,” chairman of the selection committee M.S.K. Prasad told reporters.

Bumrah’s unorthodox action and his ability to bowl yorkers almost at will have made him a limited-overs asset and Prasad felt it was time to blood the bowler, who turns 24 on Wednesday, in the Test format.

“If you see his performance for the past 18 months, he’s been phenomenal ... in both ODI and Twenty20,” Prasad said.

Patel made a Test comeback after an eight-year gap against England last year when Saha sustained an injury and the 32-year-old scored two fifties in four innings.

Prasad also named the India squad for the three-match T20 series against Sri Lanka this month, resting regular captain Virat Kohli and putting Rohit Sharma in charge.

Test squad against South Africa:

Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Parthiv Patel, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah

T20 squad against Sri Lanka:

Rohit Sharma (captain), Lokesh Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik, M.S. Dhoni (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Basil Thampi, Jaydev Unadkat.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2017