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Asia Cup - 2004
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Asia Cup - 2004
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News
Agarkar dropped, spin duo
makes comeback
CHENNAI: Paceman Ajit Agarkar was on Wednesday dropped while spin
wizards Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh were recalled to the squad
for next week's Asia Cup cricket tournament after both missed
India's last one-day series in Pakistan.
The national selectors also opted to have an additional wicketkeeper
in Parthiv Patel in the 14-member squad announced by Cricket Board
Secretary S K Nair here.
Barring Agarkar's exclusion, there were no major surprises in the
team which retains the nucleus of the side that tasted success in
the recent series against Pakistan.
While Harbhajan returns to the one-day fold after a six-month injury
layoff, Kumble makes it to the side after missing action in the
one-day series in Pakistan.
Missing out on berths from among the 20 probables were Rohan
Gavaskar, Hemang Badani, Ramesh Powar, Amit Bhandari and Murali
Kartik.
"The selectors discussed all the probables before finalising the
squad, taking into account the views of the team management who were
represented by coach John Wright and captain Sourav Ganguly," said
Nair who also announced the India 'A' team for the twin tours of
Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Left-arm pacemen Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, who were also saddled
with injury woes, secured berths in the squad for the six-nation
tournament beginning on July 16 in Sri Lanka.
The inclusion of these two pacemen, besides Harbhajan and Kumble,
means India would be fielding a full strength bowling attack after a
fairly long gap.
Young speedsters Irfan Pathan and Lakshmipathy Balaji, who had a
successful tour of Pakistan, have been expectedly retained.
With captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Wright having made it
clear that Rahul Dravid will continue to double up as wicketkeeper,
the selection of young keeper Parthiv Patel comes as a surprise.
Patel will, however, give the team management the option of fielding
a specialist wicketkeeper if the need arises.
Many of the Asia Cup campers, who were left out of the senior team,
were accommodated in the India 'A' team for the tours starting later
this month.
However, left-arm spinner Murali Kartik and Agarkar were not picked
with the selectors wanting to give youngsters a chance.
"Agarkar and Kartik were not considered for the India 'A' tour as
they were given opportunities earlier. The selectors also did not
want to tax them as they are already experienced."
Asked to comment on the composition of the team, Nair said he was
confident that the players would be able to regain the Asia Cup,
which features title-holders Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE
and Hong Kong.
"I am confident that the players will put in their optimum
performance and regain the Asia Cup," he said.
Nair said The Board's decision to have separate camps in Bangalore
and Chennai had proved to be "worthwhile".
"All the probables who were seen in the Chennai camp are fully fit.
This is a good beginning to the 2004 season," the BCCI Secretary
said adding that the selection was unanimous.
However, sources said there was a prolonged discussion on whether to
pick Harbhajan or Kartik.
Harbhajan finally got the nod as the selectors felt that he was
"back to his usual form".
The offie had undergone surgery on his bowling hand after the first
Test in Australia last December and missed the rest of the Test and
one-day series against the world champions and the subsequent tour
of Pakistan.
On the India 'A' team, led by Sairaj Bahutule, Nair said the
selectors had picked two new faces Dhiraj Jadhav and Yogesh
Golvalkar to reward their performance in the domestic circuit.
The 'A' team is scheduled to play three four-day matches in Zimbabwe
against the home team. In Kenya, they will play a tri-nation
tournament with Pakistan as the third team.
"The India 'A' members will attend a coaching camp in Bangalore from
July 12 to 18 before proceeding for Zimbabwe on July 19," Nair said.
Squad: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin
Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Parthiv
Patel, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra,
Irfan Pathan, Laxmipathy Balaji. Coach: John Wright.
India 'A' squad: Sairaj Bahutule (capt), Hemang Badani (vice-capt),
Aakash Chopra, Gautam Gambhir, S Sriram, Rohan Gavaskar, Dinesh
Kartik, Amit Bhandari, Munaf Patel, Avishkar Salvi, M S Dhoni,
Ramesh Powar, Dhiraj Jadhav, S S Paul, Yogesh Golvalkar. Coach:
Sandeep Patil.
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