Laxman, Kartik Stage A Comeback

Stylish batsman V.V.S. Laxman and left-arm spinner Murali Kartik today made it to the one-day team as the national selectors named a 14-member squad for India's first three matches of the triangular one-day seriesstarting from October 23.

Laxman, who is a regular member in the Test squad, made a comeback to the one-day side after missing the World Cup andDhaka tri-series early this year, while Kartik returned after a gap of one year.

Australia and New Zealand are the other teams in the competition.

Giving some respite to over-burdened vice-captain Rahul Dravid, who did duty behind the stumps in the World Cup,the selectors kept the wicketkeeping option open by retaining teenager Parthiv Patel, who played all the matches in Dhakasoon after the mega event in South Africa.

Announcing the names here, board secretary S.K. Nair said though Ashish Nehra's name was considered forselection, it was decided to give the left-arm pacer more time to be completely fit. Nehra is yet to resume playing sincesuffering an ankle injury during the World Cup.

Team: Saurav Ganguly (capt), Virendra Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S.Laxman, Mohd. Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, ZaheerKhan, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Avishkar Salvi.

"Physiotherapist Andrew Leipus' report says he is not fully fit. After reviewing it we decided that Nehra should begiven more time," Nair told reporters after the selection committee meeting which was attended by all the members andchairman Syed Kirmani.

Nair also made it clear that the Delhi speedster will have to prove his fitness by playing domestic matches. "He (Nehra) is been out the game for sometime now. He needs enough practice to return to the side," Nair said.

Middle-order batsman Dinesh Mongia, who had a poor outing in the World Cup as well as in the subsequent Dhaka series,failed to find favour from the selectors as he was dropped from the side.

Though Tamil Nadu's Hemang Badani's name was believed to have figured during the meeting, he failed to pip Laxman inthe end.

Ganguly and pacer Salvi, whose injuries forced them out of the team for the second Test against New Zealand here, have been includedin the squad.

Nair said though he was optimistic about Ganguly's recovery from the surgery that removed an abscess on the thighon the eve of the Test match, the Mumbai speedster will be undergoing a fitness test on October 21.

"Hopefully he will be fit by the time the tournament starts. But we are also ready for eventualities as we will consider other options and we have plans in order," Nair said.

Sanjay Bangar, who lost his Test berth to Akash Chopra earlier this month, also failed to made it to the one-dayside. 

Despite the selection of Patel, who made his one-day debut against New Zealand at Queenstown late last year, Nair said it was upto the team management to decide whether to have him in the playing XI or not.

"We have named a permanent wicketkeeper in the squad. But it is up to the team management to decide what to do withhim," the secretary said.

The selection committee meeting was also attended by coach John Wright andGanguly.

The team for the remainder of the series will be picked on November 1, the day India take on Australia in Mumbai, Nairsaid.

The 28-year-old Laxman, who started his career in 1997, played in the first three matches against New Zealand lastyear before being dropped from the side for the remaining matches as well as the World Cup.

The Hyderabad middle-order batsman, who has modelled his batting on statemate and former captain MohammedAzharuddin, has so far played 51 matches for his 1250 runs which includes just one century scored against Australia.

Kartik, who turned 27 last month, was on the fringe of selection for quite some time now, though he never got anopportunity to play in the one-dayers since donning the Indian colours for the last time against the West Indies atVijaywada in 2002.

The Railway player, arguably the best left-arm spinner in the country, has fetched four wickets at 59 runs with a bestof three for 36 during his short five-match international stint.

PTI