Hardik Pandya returns to India squad for ODIs against South Africa

• The 26-year-old underwent successful surgery for a lower-back injury in October and had not played since then.

NEW DELHI: Flamboyant Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya was picked for India's upcoming ODI series against South Africa after months sidelined by injury, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said Sunday.

The 26-year-old underwent successful surgery for a lower-back injury in October and had not played since then.

Also back in the team was veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan, who dislocated his shoulder against Australia in January, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who last played in December before a hernia operation.

Rohit Sharma was rested after picking up a calf injury that saw him sit out the recent New Zealand Test series.

The first ODI will be played on March 12 in Dharamshala and the second on March 15 in Lucknow. The final match will be played in Kolkata on March 18.

ODI squad: Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Virat Kohli (capt), KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Shubman Gill.