MUMBAI — India has included all-rounders Stuart Binny and Akshar Patel in a 15-man squad to defend its World Cup title in Australia and New Zealand. Binny, who bowls medium pace, has played six One-Day Internationals for India while left-arm spinner Patel has represented the country in the 50-over format nine times. All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who returned to India midway through the Test series in Australia with a shoulder injury was also included in the squad, named Tuesday. The team will be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who recently retired from Tests, while Virat Kohli, who replaced Dhoni in the longer format, was appointed vice captain. India also chose three frontline spinners — off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and left-armers Ravindra Jadeja and Akshar. Fast bowlers Mohit Sharma and Dhawal Kulkarni will be added to the same squad in Australia for the tri-series, also involving England, as a warm-up for the World Cup. The squad includes just four players — Dhoni, Kohli, Suresh Raina and Ashwin — who were part of the winning team in 2011. There was no place for opening batsman Murali Vijay, one of the few Indian players to emerge with credit from the Australia Test series with 402 runs in the first three matches at an average of 67.00. India won the 50-over World Cup for the second time when it hosted the quadrennial event four years back with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The Cricket World Cup will be staged in Australia and New Zealand from Feb. 14 to March 29. India is drawn in Pool B alongside Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, United Arab Emirates, Ireland and Zimbabwe. The top four in the pool will advance to the quarterfinals. Dhoni's men begin their campaign with a mouth-watering clash against archrival Pakistan in Adelaide on Feb. 15. Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virat Kohli (vice captain), Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Stuart Binny, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Ambati Rayudu, Akshar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma. — Agencies
