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India tour Pakistan
- Samsung Cup 2004 |
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Kumble, Agarkar and Chopra join Team India
 NEW
DELHI: Experienced leg-spinner Anil Kumble, seamer Ajit Agarkar and
opener Akash Chopra will join the Indian team for an upcoming Test
series against Pakistan, a top official announced here on Monday.
"Kumble and Agarkar have recovered from injuries and Chopra is
our regular Test opener who the selectors want to persist
with," cricket board secretary Karunakaran Nair told reporters.
Kumble (shoulder) and Agarkar (shin) missed the ongoing one-dayers
due to injuries but were picked to strengthen the bowling attack for
the three-Test series starting in Multan on March 28. "They
have not played any first-class match after recovering but have been
certified fit and we have got reports that they are bowling well in
practice sessions," Nair said.
The board secretary said that one-day specialist Mohammad Kaif,
left-handed batsman Hemang Badani and seamer Amit Bhandari would
return after the one-dayers.
"Bhandari was sent as Ashish Nehra's replacement for the one-dayers
and since Agarkar is joining the team we are asking Bhandari to
return," he said.
Left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh also found a place in the Test
squad on the basis of his recent run in domestic cricket.
"Since Yuvraj got a century in each innings for North Zone in
the Duleep Trophy final at Mohali earlier this month, the selectors
thought he deserved a place in the Test team," Nair said.
Kumble will form the spin attack along with left-armer Murali Kartik
and all-rounder Ramesh Powar as regular off-spinner Harbhajan Singh
was still nursing an injured finger. Kumble is India's second most
successful bowler in Tests after legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev,
having taken 382 wickets in 81 Tests. India are playing their first
Test series across the border in almost 15 years.
The squad: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag,
Akash Chopra, Sachin Tendulkar, Venkatsai Laxman, Yuvraj Singh,
Parthiv Patel, Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan, Laxmipathy Balaji, Ajit
Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Ramesh Powar, Murali Kartik.
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