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 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, are in Group B along with South Africa, Pakistan and West Indies.

Hosts England are in Group A with 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.