India welcomed back Jasprit Bumrah in their Twenty20 World Cup squad on Monday, also recalling a fit-again Harshal Patel to bolster their pace bowling department.
Bumrah, whose unorthodox action and ability to bowl yorkers at will make him an asset particularly in the shortest format, missed the recent Asia Cup with a back injury that has kept him out of action since mid-July.
Patel too has recovered from a rib injury to join the 15-member squad as a potent death-overs bowling option alongside veteran Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Of the two wicketkeepers in the Rohit Sharma-led squad, Rishabh Pant gives India the option of playing the left-handed batsman as a free-moving 'floater', while Dinesh Karthik has a formidable reputation as a 'finisher'.
India, who begin their campaign with an October 23 blockbuster against arch-rivals Pakistan in Melbourne, will miss the injured Ravindra Jadeja but have a like-for-like replacement in spin all-rounder Axar Patel.
Seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin was picked as the second spinner, behind Yuzvendra Chahal.
Kerala stumper-batter Sanju Samson has been overlooked while Deepak Hooda retained his place.
The seam duo of Mohammed Shami and Deepak Chahar, middle order batter Shreyas Iyer and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi have been kept on standby.
India, who could not make the final of the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates, will host a three-match Twenty20 series against world champions Australia from September 20.
It will be followed by six limited-overs internationals.
Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be reporting to the NCA for conditioning-related work during the course of the home series against Australia and South Africa.
Bhuvneshwar will miss the South Africa series while Hardik and Arshdeep will skip the Australia series beginning September 20.
Indian T20 World Cup squad: Rohit Sharma (capt), KL Rahul (vice-capt), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh.
Standbys: Mohammed Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar.
India squad for Australia T20Is: Rohit Sharma (capt), K L Rahul (vice-capt), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.
India squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Capt), K L Rahul (vice-capt), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dinesh Karthik (wk), R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah.
