Selectors retain squad for Sharjah tourney

The national selectors, who met in Bombay under the chairmanship of Chandu Borde, decided to retain the same squad which is performing well in Nairobi, scuttling the team management's request for an off-spinner in view of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, the other two teams in the Sharjah tourney, having quiet a few left-handers.

Jaywant Lele, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India told newspersons that they had received a request from the team management for an off spinner, but the selectors decided that continuing with the same combination was better suited for the team.

On Vijay Bharadwaj, the off spinner, who the team management had asked for, the chairman of the selectors Chandu Borde said, "We have not seen him for a long time and do not know about his injury status. Therefore, we have decided to go ahead with the same team."

The Indian team, which is having a dream run at Nairobi having toppled the world champions Australia, have seen a new crop of stars emerging with Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan impressing the most.

India begin their campaign against Sri Lanka on October 20 in the Sharjah tourney.

According to reports from Nairobi, a source in the team management had indicated that Karnataka's Vijay Bharadwaj, who was the man of the series in the last tournament which India played in Kenya, would get the nod for the off-spinner's spot. But the bespectacled Karnataka all-rounder did not even get a look-in in the Rest of India team against Mumbai in the Irani Cup.

Queried about Bharadwaj's exclusion, selection committee chairman Chandu Borde said, "He has not played much last season because of injuries. We did not get much opportunity to watch him in action."

About the inclusion of ace speedster Javagal Srinath in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, Borde said the Karnataka bowler is ''definitely not on trial".

"We thought that a five-day match like the Irani Cup tie would help Srinath to get into his groove after his lengthy absence from cricket. It would be beneficial for him," the selection committee chairman said.

Srinath had opted out of the tours to Kenya and Sharjah.

The selectors' decision to include Punjab's Sharandip Singh instead of his more experienced teammate Harbhajan Singh for the off-spinner's slot in the Rest of India squad gives an indication that the latter has not risen upto their expectations in the number of chances he got last season.

The decision to include Railways' left-arm spinner Murali Karthik, who too has played in a couple of Tests before losing his place, is another clear-cut indication that the board has forgiven the Delhi-based player for his 'indiscipline' at the National Cricket Academy last season.

"We also discussed Karnataka's Dodda Ganesh and Tamil Nadu's Sadagopan Mahesh for the medium-pacer's slot. They will get their chances during the three-day tour matches against Zimbabwe (in November)," Borde said.

Asked whether the inclusion of Delhi left-arm seamer Nehra was influenced by the success tasted in Nairobi by another bowler of his ilk, Zaheer Khan, Borde said, "A left-arm bowler gives variety to the bowling and Zaheer bowled very well."

Nehra made his debut in the Asian Test series against Sri Lanka at Colombo early last year before being banished by the selectors.

The itinerary:
October 20: India vs Sri Lanka
October 21: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe
October 22: India vs Zimbabwe
October 23 and 24: rest days
October 25: Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe
October 26: India vs Zimbabwe
October 27: India vs Sri Lanka
October 28: rest day
October 29: final.

The team: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Vinod Gambli, Yuvraj Singh, Robin Singh, Vijay Dahiya (w-k), Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi and Hemang Badani.

UNI

Mail Cricket Editor