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 Indian team grappling with selection dilemma
Nagpur, Oct 25: Sachin Tendulkar's return may have lifted the spirits in the Indian camp but the team management is now left grappling with a selection dilemma ahead of the crucial third cricket Test against Australia. Although the playing eleven would be finalised tomorrow, indications are that the in-form Mohammad Kaif would have to sit out to accommodate the fit-again Tendulkar in the team for the Test beginning here tomorrow.
Kaif scored a valiant half-century in the second Test in Chennai and had been in good form in recent one-day tournaments unlike some of the other top-order batsmen who have been struggling. The axe could also fall on Yuvraj Singh, who has failed miserably with the bat so far and captain Sourav Ganguly said today that specialist opener Akash Chopra was very much in the reckoning.
Ganguly said the team would go into the match with two specialist openers, scotching speculation that Parthiv Patel may open the innings to retain the balance of the side. The captain emphatically said "no" when asked whether the diminutive wicketkeeper would once again be asked to launch the Indian innings. "We had two specialist openers in the last two Test matches (Yuvraj Singh and Akash Chopra). We consider Yuvraj as an opener. So, we will go on similar lines here too.
"Obviously, Parthiv is not opening. The selectors will decide between Yuvraj and Akash as far as opening the innings is concerned," he said. (Agencies)
Published: Monday, October 25, 2004
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