June 12 Wednesday 2002
Srinath faces the end

MUMBAI: In deciding to leave Javagal Srinath behind when they tour England, the Indian cricket selectors might have ended the career of the trusted medium pacer. Srinath was not included in either the Indian squad for the four-Test series or the triangular competition which precedes it, beginning at the end of this month. 

"Its difficult to understand why Srinath was not included in the team," former Indian Test player and an ex-ICC match referee Hanumant Singh says. 

The 32-year had announced his retirement from the Test cricket earlier this month but had expressed willingness to play the World Cup. 

"It has been in my mind for quite some time, six or seven months," the pace man told a news conference at the time.

"I still have some cricket left in me and would like to focus on the World Cup." Indian captain Sourav Ganguly wanted Srinath to reconsider his retirement, especially ahead of the England tour. 

"Srinath is our best bowler who can guide the youngsters," the Indian captain said last week.

Hanumant Singh thinks exclusion from the England-bound squad spells the end of Srinath's career. 

"Obviously his exclusion from the side will end his career as his chances of playing in the future are minimal." 

Former opener Dilip Vengsarkar endorses his views. But another former Test cricketer Cheetan Chauhan says no player should be written off prematurely. 

"After looking at my own and Mohinder Amarnath's examples, I never write off any player unless he retires completely. Srinath may be back in the team very soon." 

Chauhan speculates that Srinath was dropped for making different choices at different times. "During the Zimbabwe tour in 2001, he opted out of one-day matches and now he has retired from the Tests," Chauhan says. Hanumant agrees with him, adding: "With his apparent retirement, he made his choices limited." 

Srinath has been India's main strike bowler since the retirement of Kapil Dev in 1994. He has been heavily relied upon by successive skippers because of his intelligent use of the new ball. 

Hanumant believes that the fitness worries are the key factor behind Srinath's retirement and his subsequent exclusion from the team. "Probably he would have thought that he couldn't play longer matches with his present fitness. 

"But that doesn't mean that he should not be selected for the one day series." Has Srinath been dropped for good or will he be considered for September's ICC Champions Trophy and the World Cup? 

Both Hanumant and Chauhan think it depends on the performance of newcomers. "If new players perform well in England, why would he be recalled?" Hanumant says. 

Asked whether Srinath could be summoned during the tour, he says this is least likely to happen. "A captain's demand or a mid-tour rethink won't happen. I think he has been dropped for good," Hanumant said.