Rookie paceman Kulkarni in India squad

India selectors have included rookie paceman Dhawal Kulkarni in the Test squad for the upcoming three-Test series against New Zealand.

His selection on Friday caps an outstanding season for the 20-year-old Kulkarni, who made his first-class debut just six months ago and had emerged as the most successful bowler in the domestic Ranji Trophy.

Kulkarni is one of five pace bowlers in the 16-member Test squad, which also includes seamer Laxmipathi Balaji who earlier this month returned to India's limited-overs squad after being sidelined for several years by his back injury.

The pair will complement regular internationals Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel who were each selected in the three squads named Friday for the various forms of the game.

India will play three Test matches, five one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches during the tour starting Feb. 25.

Beside skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and the three pacemen, only five other players figure in the squads for all three versions: vice captain Virender Sehwag, opener Gautam Gambhir, middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and reserve wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik.

Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar will not play in the Twenty20 games.

In the Test squad, top-run scorer Tendulkar will have the company of two seasoned middle-order batsman in former skipper Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman.

Ace spinner Harbhajan Singh and Patel have returned to the limited overs squads after missing the recent tour to Sri Lanka, where India scores a 4-1 triumph in the limited-overs series and also won the lone Twenty20 encounter.

India squads:

Twenty20: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Pragyan Ojha and Ishant Sharma.

One-day internationals: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Pragyan Ojha and Ishant Sharma.

Tests: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthik, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Amit Mishra, Laxmipathi Balaji, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma and Dhawal Kulkarni.