Arnel in Black Caps Test call

Brent Arnel celebrates after sending back England Lions captain Rob Key at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval

Northern Districts medium-pacer Brent Arnel is a surprise inclusion in the New Zealand squad for the first Test against India in Hamilton.

Arnel finished with match figures of 5-86 in New Zealand A's recent unofficial Test against England Lions, enough to earn himself a first full international call-up.

He will be asked to boost the bowling unit which has been hammered by Indian batsmen Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the one-day series.

Chris Martin, who was not required for the shortened versions of the game, returns, while batsman Martin Guptill earns his first Test selection after impressing during the Twenty20 and one-day series.

There is no room for all-rounder Jacob Oram who has yet to return to full bowling duties and has struggled with the bat in the one-dayers. Instead, James Franklin will take the all-rounder role.

“He has made good progress in recovering from injury, but Jacob is not yet fully confident that his body would stand up to rigours of a five-day game,” said Black Caps head of selectors Glenn Turner.

“He now has the opportunity to play some four-day cricket for Central Districts – and he may well come into consideration for the later test matches.”

Jamie How, Mark Gillespie and Peter Fulton are the players discarded from the squad that played in the final Test against the West Indies last December.

The first Test at Seddon Park begins on Wednesday and is followed by matches in Napier (March 26-30) and Wellington (April 3-7).

New Zealand squad: Daniel Vettori (captain), Brent Arnel, Daniel Flynn, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Tim McIntosh, Brendon McCullum (wkt), Chris Martin, Kyle Mills, Iain O’Brien, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor.