Gardener is aiming for gold at the Commonwealth Games

The 30-year-old world indoor champion will compete in his specialist 60m event in the five-team match.

The Bath star has been in fine form so far this year, breaking the UK 100m indoor record twice 10 days ago.

The GB & NI side are boosted by the return to full fitness of former 400m world indoor champion Daniel Caines.

Caines has recovered from an injury-ravaged summer season and returns to Britain from his North Carolina base.

Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton will compete in the long jump for the Commonwealth team.

The GB and NI team will also take on Italy, Russia and Sweden at Kelvin Hall.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland team:

Men:
60m: J Gardener (Wessex & Bath AC)
400m: D Caines (Birchfield Harriers)
1,500m: A Baddeley (Harrow AC)
3,000m: J Thie (Cardiff AC)
60m hurdles: A Turner (Sale Harriers)
Pole vault: N Buckfield (Crawley AC)
Long jump: C Tomlinson (Newham and Essex Beagles)
4x400m squad: D Caines (Birchfield Harriers), R Tobin (Basingstoke and Mid Hants), R Buck (Rowntrees AC), D Garland (Channel Islands), Brett Rund (City of Edinburgh AC).

Women:
60m: L Turner (Harrow AC)
200m: S Deacon (Edinburgh Woollen Mill)
400m: M Purkiss (Team Southampton)
800m: J Simpson (Newquay & Par)
60m hurdles: S Claxton (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies)
High jump: J Crane (Sale Harriers)
Long jump: J Johnson (Herne Hill Harriers)
4x400m squad: H Karagounis (Birchfield Harriers), C Ohuruogu (Newham and Essex Beagles), M Purkiss (Team Southampton), N Sanders (WSEH), K Wall (Basildon AC).