Ganguly, Prasad may open attack on Sunday
Saurav Ganguly and Venkatesh Prasad, now declared fit after more than three months of exile from international cricket, will
open the Indian attack in Sunday's game against Zimbabwe in Baroda. The gifted lefthander from Bengal will also open the batting with Sachin Tendulkar.
Coach Anshuman Gaekwad -- himself a Baroda resident -- said if there was dew on
the Indian Petroleum Chemicals Ltd pitch, then he would prefer mediumpacer Debashish Mohanty in the side,. Else, leftarm Delhi spinner Rahul Sanghvi appears likely to get a look in.
India beat Australia in the opening match of the Pepsi triangular at Kochi on Wednesday while Zimbabwe lost a heartbreaker at Ahmedabad against Australia on Friday.
Captain Mohammad Azharuddin said he expected Prasad -- who has been kept out of the Indian team on the argument that he was unable to throw a ball, even though he has played domestic cricket and was even picked to play for the Board eleven against Australia last month -- to fill the void created by Javagal Srinath's injury.
Meanwhile, in yet another turnaround, the Indian cricket establishment has not ruled out Srinath from the Sharjah tournament.
Gaekwad said Srinath is on the road to recovery and has been called to Delhi for a physical test on Sunday next, April 12. If India is in the
final on April 14 and Srinath is declared fit then he will play, Gaekwad
added.
After his return from the West Indies last year because of a shoulder injury -- he missed 10 Tests and 20 one day internationals -- Srinath was back in the Indian team for the home series against Sri Lanka last winter and bowled as viciously as ever. But a slight change in action has made him vulnerable to sidestrain. On Wednesday, he did not bowl at his usual pace and wore a back brace throughout the game. Gaekwad, however, felt it was a minor injury and did not take much time to heal.
Both Azhar and Gaekwad denied Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jaywant Lele's criticism that they had incorrectly informed him about Srinath's fitness before the Kochi match. They said Lele had probably misunderstood them.
Gaekwad said he has requested the BCCI to permit about 25 promising players -- preferably all-rounders -- to practice with the Indian team before every international match. "This could net us a few players worthy of playing the next World Cup,"
he said.
UNI
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