Azharuddin set for another comeback

Former Indian captain Md Azharuddin, who made a comeback to the Indian Test team after exactly a year, is set to make another comeback - this time to the Indian one day squad. Azharuddin, who turned 37 earlier this month, last played in a one day international in the World Cup against New Zealand at Nottingham in June last year. He has been named in the Indian team for the first three one day matches against South Africa to be played later this month.

There are no real surprises in the squad which will play the matches at Kochi (March 9), Jamshedpur (March 12) and Faridabad (March 15). In the 14-member team, announced in Bangalore by BCCI secretary JY Lele on Sunday, Robin Singh, Sunil Joshi and Ajit Agarkar are back. For the wicketkeeper's slot, Sameer Dighe gets the nod ahead of Nayan Mongia who was not fully fit in the Bangalore Test. And with Javagal Srinath being rested for the Sharjah tourney, Delhi's Amit Bhandari gets a chance to gain a permanent slot. From the players who were on Test duty at Mumbai and Bangalore, VVS Laxman, Wasim Jaffer and Karthik Murali have been dropped while Md Kaif has been retained.

But the side under new captain Saurav Ganguly still has a balanced look. The batting in the hands of Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid, Azharuddin, Jadeja, Md Kaif and Robin Singh looks strong enough. And the bowling does seem to have a lot of variety. Agarkar, Kumaran, Bhandari and Robin Singh will provide the seam attack while Nikhil Chopra, Sunil Joshi and Anil Kumble are the spinners. Whether the side is good enough to beat the South Africans is another matter.

The one day squad: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Md. Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Md. Kaif, Robin Singh, Anil Kumble, Sunil Joshi, Nikhil Chopra, T. Kumaran, Ajit Agarkar, Amit Bhandari and Sameer Dighe.