Champions Trophy: India omit Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh

India have left experienced batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh out of their 15-man Champions Trophy squad.

Left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan, who last played a 50-over match for India in June 2011, got the nod while wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthik was recalled after almost three years.

Opener Murali Vijay was a surprise inclusion, while all-rounder Irfan Pathan also got a recall.

India open the tournament against South Africa in Cardiff on 6 June.

Yuvraj, 31, who made a comeback last year after battling a rare form of lung cancer, could not find a place in the Indian middle-order with selectors preferring right-handed batsman Rohit Sharma ahead of him.

The exclusion of 31-year-old opener Gambhir's did come as a surprise, particularly after his long-time partner Virender Sehwag was not even included in the 30-member probables list.

Right-hander Vijay last played an ODI against South Africa in January 2011 and has failed to score a 50 in his 11 matches in the format.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and leg-spinner Amit Mishra were the two specialist slow bowlers in the squad.

India, the reigning 50-over world champions, are in Group B along with South Africa, Pakistan and West Indies.

Hosts England are in Group A with defending champions Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, with it set to be the last ever staging of the tournament.

All side except West Indies have now revealed their final 15-man squads.

India's ICC Champions Trophy squad: Mahendra Dhoni (capt & wk), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Irfan Pathan, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Vinay Kumar.