New Zealand's quest to find the right balance to their Test side has resulted in recalls for off-spinner Jeetan Patel and all-rounder James Franklin in a 15-man squad to tour India this month.
While Wellington duo Patel and Franklin are back in the fold, batsman Dean Brownlie's fall from grace following a bright start to his Test career has led to his omission.
Daniel Vettori's groin injury has also ruled him out of the two-Test series, starting on August 23 in Hyderabad.
Patel, whose last Test was against Zimbabwe last November, is back in the fold to push uncapped leg-spinner Tarun Nethula hard for a spot in Vettori's absence. Franklin has not featured at Test level since January 2011 but has been recalled with a view to adding a weight of runs to an under-performing batting line-up.
"The tour of India will be a great challenge and experience for this squad," national selection manager Kim Littlejohn said. "Unfortunately Daniel Vettori won't recover in time for the Test series but his injury has created and opportunity for Jeetan Patel to come back into the side.
"Jeetan has been in great from for Warwickshire and deserves his opportunity. James Franklin has been brought into the squad to bolster the batting. He brings a lot of experience and knowledge of playing in Indian conditions which will be invaluable.
"Dean Brownlie misses out on selection. We continue to see him as player of the future but at this stage we feel he needs to works on parts of his game. There's no doubt he will work hard to regain selection."
Whether or not Patel and Franklin are rushed straight into the Test XI is dependent on past form, given there are no warm-up matches for the second straight tour.
While Patel has been in meaningful four-day match practice, Franklin has existed on a diet of Twenty20 matches as Essex's overseas player. His last first-class match was for Wellington in late March.
New Zealand squad: Ross Taylor (capt), Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell, Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Tarun Nethula, Jeetan Patel, Tim Southee, Kruger van Wyk, Neil Wagner, BJ Watling, Kane Williamson.
