Meeting in Mumbai, the national selectors announced on Thursday a 16-memberTest squad for the tour of the West Indies in April-June. The tour will consistof five Tests and five one-day internationals.
Prominent among the new faces is Dinesh Mongia, who recently got the man ofthe series award in the five-match one-day series against Zimbabwe. Also joiningMongia from that one-day squad is Ajay Ratra, who has been selected aswicket-keeper.
It is worthwhile to note that the selectors have gone in for twowicket-keepers; Deep Dasgupta, whose batting has not concealed the fact that hisstump-work is somewhat awry, has also been picked for the tour.
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If his wicket-keeping deteriorates further during the tour, his opening slotmay fall to Wasim Jaffer, who is in the midst of a fine run of form in theDuleep Trophy. Jaffer, who made his Test debut against South Africa in 1999-00,played only the two Tests of that series before being dropped.
Only two spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble have been picked. Thepace attack consists of Javagal Srinath, Tinu Yohannan, Zaheer Khan and AshishNehra, with all-rounder Sanjay Bangar chipping in with his medium-pace.
Mongia's elevation to the Test level will mean that he will be unavailable tocaptain the India 'A' side in South Africa. Yuvraj Singh will take his place inthe side, while Jacob Martin, previously named vice-captain, will lead the squadin Mongia's absence.
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Squad to the West Indies:
Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid (vice-captain), Shiv Sunder Das, DeepDasgupta (wicket-keeper), Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, DineshMongia, Ajay Ratra (wicket-keeper), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, JavagalSrinath, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Tinu Yohannan, Sanjay Bangar.
