Bangalore, July 18
Three youngsters have made it to the Indian team for the forthcoming triangular series, showing the aim of coach Greg Chappell to create a blend of experience and youth for the 2007 World Cup campaign. Rahul Dravid will captain the side even as the Selection Committee has decided to name Sourav Ganguly as the 16th man in case the ICC revokes the ban imposed on him.
The team is a: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Suresh Raina, Venugopala Rao, M.S. Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Laxmipathy Balaji, Ashish Nehra, J.P. Yadav and Sourav Ganguly (16th man).
Suresh Raina, J.P. Yadav and
Venugopala Rao were included in the Indian team today on the basis of their consistent performances recently. Eighteen-year-old Raina seemed to be the find of the training camp as he impressed Chappell as a top-order batsman, with the ability to move the ball as an off-spinner.
Yadav found a place on the basis of good all-round performances in the domestic circuit. This was the second time Yadav would play at the international level, having represented the country against West Indies in 2002 at Rajkot.
Venugopals’s swashbuckling performance yesterday in partnership with Sehwag during the benefit match had an immense impact on the selectors. Venugopala scored 91 runs off 99 balls, which included 10 boundaries, scoring faster than Sehwag, who scored 96 runs.
Except for the surprise inclusion of Venugopala Rao, the selection was based on recent form, though Dinesh Mongia stood a fair chance of being selected on the basis of a good showing for Leicestershire in the English county circuit. Ajit Agarkar was also hopeful, but was overlooked.
BCCI Secretary S.K. Nair indicated that the youngsters, who were selected would not be wasted. In an interaction with The Tribune after the team announcement, he said the board could go in for a rotation policy for the youngsters.
He said the selectors went in for consistent performers while making their decision. He added that there would be a lot of opportunities for youngsters, with the team slated to play five one-daye each in England and Australia after the tri-series in Sri Lanka.
As far as Ganguly was concerned, the selectors took the safe way out by naming him as the 16th member of the team. He would join the team in Sri Lanka in case the ICC would lift the six-match ban imposed on him. He would play under Dravid in case he was cleared by the ICC.
The team would assemble in Chennai and leave for Sri Lanka on July 23. The Selection Committee met under the chairmanship of Kiran More.
