Zaheer, Nehra back; Dravid could open
Faisal Shariff
The national selectors today picked a 16-member team for the Test series against South Africa to follow the ongoing Summer Spice triangular one day series.
Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, who have been out through injury, return to the side after passing fitness tests conducted earlier in the day by Dr Anant Joshi, the board's physician. With Sadagoppan Ramesh ruling himself out through injury, the selectors inducted Baroda's Connor Williams into the opener's slot, where he partners Shiv Sundar Das.
Samir Dighe has been brought in as the senior wicket-keeper while Deep Dasgupta remains part of the touring side.
The Indians opted for a pace-centric attack, with five seamers -- Srinath, Agarkar, Nehra, Zaheer and Prasad. And significantly, they opted to keep Virendra Sehwag back to bolster the batting line up.
Chandu Borde meanwhile appears to have discovered a new mantra: No comment, it was a unanimous decision.
That was pretty much his answer to every question hurled at him in the media briefing that followed the selection exercise.
He did, however, make one point of interest. Williams, he said, has been picked as opener keeping in mind that there will be two warm up games plus three Tests. But "if required, the selectors will persuade team captain Ganguly to ask his deputy Rahul Dravid to open."
Indications are that there is no "if required" about it -- the first Test could in all probability see Dravid and Das walking out together as India's latest combination.
The Squad:
Sourav Ganguly (captain),
Rahul Dravid (vice captain),
Sachin Tendulkar,
Shiv Sundar Das,
VVS Laxman,
Harbhajan Singh,
Anil Kumble,
Ajit Agarkar,
Virendra Sehwag,
Samir Dighe,
Venkatesh Prasad,
Connor Williams,
Zaheer Khan,
Ashish Nehra,
Javagal Srinath,
Deep Das Gupta.
India's tour of South Africa: Complete coverage
