Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary too earns a recall despite his struggles with injury
Ajinkya Rahane
New Delhi: With several first-string regulars seeking a break, the selectors on Monday named Ajinkya Rahane as captain of the team to tour Zimbabwe in early July for three one-day internationals and two T20 games. Also back after the Sandeep Patil-led selection panel rested regular ODI captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Test skipper Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, R. Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan and Umesh Yadav, is off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, most recently seen in India colours during the rain-hit one-off Test match against Bangladesh.
“We cannot say on a long term basis but looking at Harbhajan’s performance in the last series, we feel that he deserves a chance on this tour,” Patil said on Harbhajan, who returns to the ODI team after 2011. Cricket control board secretary Anurag Thakur also confirmed that team director Ravi Shastri would not be on the plane to Zimbabwe owing to prior professional commitments.
Having rested a significant number of first XI members, Patil said, “Until the players themselves request for a rest, we don ‘t rest them. We sent a full-strength side to Bangladesh, but this time the players communicated to us that they needed the rest.” On Rahane, he added, “We are happy with the way his career is shaping up. He has been the most consistent batsman for India and we want to see his other aspects. So, we have given him this opportunity and we will keep backing him.” Robin Uthappa was among three wicketkeeper-batsmen picked for the Zimbabwe tour along with Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav. The Karnataka dasher too returns to national duty after a break while Punjab quick Sandeep Sharma gets his first senior team call-up.
A significant omission was Ravindra Jadeja, who did not come under the “rested” category as announced by the chairman of selections. The off-colour all-rounder was not even part of the India ‘’A squad also announced on the day. Joining Harbhajan in the spin department will be leg-spinner Karn Sharma and Axar Patel. Sandeep Sharma will join Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Stuart Binny and Dhawal Kulkarni, all retained from the disappointing Bangladesh tour squad. Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary too earns a recall despite his struggles with injury.
“The team did not do well in Bangladesh, we felt the same. We have to move forward and considering the domestic cricket to be played, we have picked this side, looking at the 2016 T20 World Cup,” Patil said. “We had picked the best possible team that played at the T20 Worlds and keeping future series in mind, whether it is Sri Lanka, or the South Africa home series, Twenty20 World Cup or the Australia series, we have decided to rest a few players, who need it,” he said. “The selectors’ job is to pick the best possible combination. The rest is left to the team management. Once we select the team, it is left to the captain to make up the playing XI,” he added. Joining Rahane at the top of the order will be M. Vijay with Rayudu, Tiwary, Manish Pandey and Kedar Jadhav.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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