India will miss the services of Yuvraj Singh and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh while explosive batsman Yusuf Pathan is likely to return to the side when the national selectors meet in Kolkata on Tuesday to pick the squad for the first two One-dayers against South Africa.
According to sources, Tamil Nadu spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Pathan are the front-runners to fill in the places of Yuvraj and Harbhajan, who has requested the Cricket Board not to consider him for the first two ODIs of the three-match series due to his sister's wedding.
"He (Harbhajan) has sought permission from the BCCI to attend his sister's wedding on February 22," Harbhajan's personal manager Sangeet Shirodkar said.
When Kris Srikkanth-led selection committee meet, a few changes are expected from the squad that lost to Sri Lanka in tri-series final in Dhaka last month.
It has been learnt that Yuvraj is yet to recover fully from the finger injury he picked up during the tour to Bangladesh and he is certain to miss the third ODI against South Africa in Ahmedabad on February 27.
In Yuvraj's absence, the selectors are all set to recall in-form Pathan in the squad for the first two ODIs on February 21 (Jaipur) and February 24 (Gwalior).
The right-hander recently guided West Zone to a world record chase of 536 against South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final with a match-winning 210 that came off just 190 balls.
The 27-year-old Baroda all-rounder last played in an ODI in the ICC Champions Trophy last year. PTI
