Gear change and selection lever in a mechanical motor vehicle gearbox for a motor vehicle, remarkable in that it consists of two rods (4, 5) in coaxial alignment, separated by a detent ball engagementmember (6) extending perpendicularly and inserted into an insert (7), the detent ball engagement member (6) being intended to cooperate with a cam in order to index different positions of the lever (1), the rods (4, 5) and the insert (7) being rendered integral by means of an overmolding (10) in a plastic material.