Former captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been recalled to India’s squad for next year’s T20 International series against New Zealand.

Dhoni has not featured in the shortest format of the international game since July 2018, but has been included in the squad for February’s three matches.

‘Dhoni is not going to play the six T20Is against the West Indies and Australia because we are looking at the second wicketkeeper’s slot. So I think we will retain Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik. So they will be getting a chance to keep and bat. It is not the end of Dhoni in T20Is,’ said chief selector MSK Prasad earlier this year, when Dhoni was dropped.

All-rounder Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, has returned from injury – and been named in the ODI squad for January’s series against New Zealand and Australia.

T20I squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Krunal Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed.

ODI squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, Dinesh Karthik, Kedar Jadhav, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Shami.