There was joy for two low key cricketers in venues as different as
Allahabad and Bangalore. Karnataka mediumpacer Venkatesh Prasad and
stylish middle order batsman Mohammed Kaif earn recalls to the Indian
Test squad for the three match series in Sri Lanka. The selection
committee chairman Chandu Borde explained that Kaif got the nod thanks
to the possibility of him doubling up as an opener. Prasad edged out
swing bowler Debasis Mohanty simply on experience.
Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is all set to make a return to the
fray after a toe injury forced him to miss the Coca-Cola Cup in Sri
Lanka. In the event that a bone scan rules out Tendulkar, Baroda's
Jacob Martin will make the journey to Sri Lanka. Speaking about
Tendulkar's injury, Board secretary Jaywant Lele, said sports medicine
expert, Anant Joshi, would certify Tendulkar's fitness on August 10.
Two players' return to India was necessitated by fitness problems -
VVS Laxman and Ashish Nehra. One-Day specialists Yuvraj Singh,
Virender Shewag, Amay Khurasiya and Reetinder Sodhi make way for Test
specialists as expected. To open the batting, the tried and tested
pairing of Sadagoppan Ramesh and Shiv Sunder Das are called up.
The bowling department loses Ajit Agarkar, Ashish Nehra, Debasis
Mohanty while Mumbai leggie Sairaj Bahutule, and pace spearhead
Javagal Srinath return to the fold.
By and large, it must be said that the selections proceeded on
expected lines. While there was plenty for the selectors to think
about while picking the squad for the Lankan series which involves
three Tests and a three-day game, there was never any doubt about the
composition they would arrive at. Eight batsmen, four mediumpacers,
three spinners and a stumper make the trip.
Ajit Agarkar, who has a habit of developing injuries at the most
inopportune moments has been omitted and this is only understandable
given Harvinder Singh's achievements in the last domestic season. The
Railways mediumpacer has improved by leaps and bounds and deserves a
break at the highest level. "Ajit Agarkar has not been performing well
recently so he has been dropped," clarified Borde, ending speculation
that Agarkar might have missed out due to injury. It must be
remembered that the Mumbai mediumpacer has played no part in India's
campaign in the lead up to the final of the Coca-Cola Cup.
With slow turning pitches likely to be the order of the day, the
selectors have strengthened the spin department. The slow men for the
tour promise variety with Bahutule the leggie, Harbhajan Singh, the
off spinner and Rahul Sanghvi, the left arm spinner vying for two
spots.
Sourav Ganguly is firmly ensconced as captain despite his recent
problems with behaviour. After being suspended for one match, Ganguly
was fined 75% of his match fee in the next game for bringing the game
into disrepute. A player who endorsed the highest values of on field
behaviour in his playing days, Borde said of the issue, "I cannot
comment on that but I only hope that he will try and improve his
behaviour on the field in future." The chairman of selectors is
certainly not on his own in this hope.
In a meeting that lasted three hours, the third opener's slot came up
for considerable discussion, with the names of Mumbai's Vinayak Mane,
Baroda's Connor Williams and Railways' Sanjay Bangar being bandied
about. In the end, Kaif got the nod. It was earlier learnt that Kaif
offered his services to the selectors as an opener and it seems like
the selectors have finally taken him up on his offer. The experiment
of using middle order batsmen in the opening slot has ended in failure
more often than not, but the selectors in their wisdom seem keen to
persist with that line of thought. "Now it is left to the team
management to use him either as a middle order batsman or as the third
opener," said Borde on Kaif's selection.
In all, there is little to be either wildly disappointed or very happy
about in the inclusions and omissions in the team.
The squad: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar,SS
Das, Hemang Badani, Sameer Dighe (WK) Mohammed Kaif, Javagal Srinath,
Zaheer Khan, Sairaj Bahutule, Rahul Sanghvi, Harvinder Singh,
Sadagoppan Ramesh, Dinesh Mongia, Venkatesh Prasad and Harbhajan
Singh.