The national cricket selectors on Tuesday cut a sorry figure after young fast bowler Vikram Rajvir Singh, named as one of the two changes for the last two one-day internationals against Sri Lanka, was ruled out of the fifth match in Rajkot on Wednesday after he was found to be carrying an injury.
Railways' Jai Prakash Yadav, who had featured in the team for the first five matches, was drafted in as a replacement.
Since Yadav was not expected to play, he would be joining the team only on the morning of the match.
The goof-up by the selectors was all the more glaring since they have been making even the senior players turn out in domestic matches to prove their form and fitness, deposed captain Sourav Ganguly being a point in example.
Mohammad Kaif, who was also sidelined with injury, played a Duleep Trophy match before making it to the national squad.
It was therefore quite baffling as to how the selectors picked V R V Singh without ascertaining his fitness, particularly since the Punjab pacer had sat out of a Duleep Trophy match against a Zimbabwe side recently due to a foot injury.
It is also not clear whether Singh had submitted a fitness certificate to Board officials.
This morning, Singh's first nets session with Team India turned out to be an anti-climax as he was diagnosed by physio John Gloster as having an "inversion injury to the left ankle with associated bone bruising".
He was immediately recommended a couple of weeks' rest by Gloster and his fitness would be reviewed later.
"V R V Singh was presumed to be fit at the time of selection and the selectors were not aware of the extent of his injury," a BCCI statement issued by team media manager Wg. Cdr. M Baladitya said.
Meanwhile, upcoming leg spinner Piyush Chawla had a feel of the dressing room atmosphere.
The 16-year old from Aligarh, who made his first-class debut only this year in the Duleep Trophy for Central Zone, enjoyed the opportunity of bowling to the country's premier batsmen.
Coach Greg Chappell said the experience would help the youngster in the long run.
"This is part of the grooming process. Such experience, being in the Indian dressing room now and then, would help him when he finally makes it to the Indian team," the Aussie said.
"He did well in the Challenger Series, picking up the wicket of Tendulkar."
