Shah back in from the cold

Ravi Shah takes the plaudits in the 2003 World Cup © Getty Images

Ravi Shah, who was once rated by many as the best batsman outside the Test arena, returns to international cricket after being included in Kenya's 15-man squad for this month's triangular one-day series in Mombasa and the World Cricket League tournament which follows.

Shah has not played for Kenya since the 2004 Champions Trophy, initially because of a serious knee injury but latterly due to business commitments. But David Waters, Cricket Kenya's chief selector, said he had made a full recovery and has impressed the selectors since returning to training last month.

"He has played two warm up games with the team and looked absolutely magnificient," said Waters. "We have no doubts about his ability otherwise we would not have selected him."

Kennedy Otieno and Hitesh Modi have been left out of the squad, as reported by Cricinfo on Tuesday. Waters said Otieno, who is currently playing club cricket in Australia, and Modi would still be considered in the squad for the World Cup in the West Indies if they made themselves available for selection. That, however, contradicts other senior officials who told Cricinfo earlier in the week that the pair had been ruled out of the equation.

Kenya host Canada and Scotland in Mombasa between January 17 and 21 before the three fly to Nairobi to join Ireland, Netherlands and Bermuda for the World Cricket League which gets underway in Nairobi on January 27.

Samir Inamdar, Cricket Kenya's chairman, told Cricinfo that with each of the top two finishers in the WCL receiving US$250,000 and a guaranteed place in the Twenty20 World Cup, the event was "almost of equal importance to the World Cup as it allows us to participate in another major tournament".