CHENNAI: When the selectors met here to pick the Indian team for the Tests against New Zealand, the only concern was the fitness of Gautam Gambhir, Ishant Sharma and VVS Laxman.
Once they received news of their availability it took less than an hour to finalise the team at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday.
In the end, the 15-member squad for the three-Test series is the same one which played against Australia. Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma have recovered from knee injuries, while Laxman has also recovered from the back injury which plagued him during the Australia series.
However, despite a blistering double ton in the Irani Trophy early this month, Yuvraj Singh will have to wait a little longer to regain his Test spot. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay performing well in the second Test in the absence of the senior players, the selectors obviously chose to overlook Yuvraj.
With Ishant Sharma back in the squad, Sreesanth will be the third seamer. Abhinav Mukund and Jaidev Unadkat, who were included in the squad after the injuries of Gambhir and Ishant, will now be available to play Ranji Trophy for their respective state sides, Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra.
"We have selected the best possible squad for the series. Gambhir and Ishant have been declared fit and Laxman has recovered from the back injury. So, we'll have a full-strength team against New Zealand," selection committee chairman Krishnamchari Srikkanth said after the meeting.
He made it clear that he and his colleagues were satisfied by the performances of the youngsters. "We are proud of the bench strength we have. The young guns played superbly along with the senior pros in the Tests as well as in the only one-dayer. We look to continue this victory march and be in supreme touch before the South Africa series commences. Hence, we have decided to pick a full-strength side," he said.
With Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh leading the pace and the spin departments and Ishant and Pragyan Ojha doing the back-up job, the bowling looks formidable. Amit Mishra will be the reserve spinner.
However, the reserve wicket-keeper still does not seem to be an area of concern for the selectors, though Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been overworked for quite a while.
After the New Zealand series, the long South Africa series and World Cup follow and the selectors must ensure Dhoni is fit and well-rested before these big events. The skipper did not attend the meeting but was consulted over phone by the selection panel.
Test squad: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra.
Read more: Gambhir, Ishant return for New Zealand series - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/top-stories/Gambhir-Ishant-return-for-New-Zealand-series/articleshow/6809191.cms#ixzz13R6PjLjk
Once they received news of their availability it took less than an hour to finalise the team at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Monday.
In the end, the 15-member squad for the three-Test series is the same one which played against Australia. Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma have recovered from knee injuries, while Laxman has also recovered from the back injury which plagued him during the Australia series.
However, despite a blistering double ton in the Irani Trophy early this month, Yuvraj Singh will have to wait a little longer to regain his Test spot. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay performing well in the second Test in the absence of the senior players, the selectors obviously chose to overlook Yuvraj.
With Ishant Sharma back in the squad, Sreesanth will be the third seamer. Abhinav Mukund and Jaidev Unadkat, who were included in the squad after the injuries of Gambhir and Ishant, will now be available to play Ranji Trophy for their respective state sides, Tamil Nadu and Saurashtra.
"We have selected the best possible squad for the series. Gambhir and Ishant have been declared fit and Laxman has recovered from the back injury. So, we'll have a full-strength team against New Zealand," selection committee chairman Krishnamchari Srikkanth said after the meeting.
He made it clear that he and his colleagues were satisfied by the performances of the youngsters. "We are proud of the bench strength we have. The young guns played superbly along with the senior pros in the Tests as well as in the only one-dayer. We look to continue this victory march and be in supreme touch before the South Africa series commences. Hence, we have decided to pick a full-strength side," he said.
With Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh leading the pace and the spin departments and Ishant and Pragyan Ojha doing the back-up job, the bowling looks formidable. Amit Mishra will be the reserve spinner.
However, the reserve wicket-keeper still does not seem to be an area of concern for the selectors, though Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been overworked for quite a while.
After the New Zealand series, the long South Africa series and World Cup follow and the selectors must ensure Dhoni is fit and well-rested before these big events. The skipper did not attend the meeting but was consulted over phone by the selection panel.
Test squad: MS Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Suresh Raina, Cheteshwar Pujara, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha and Amit Mishra.
Read more: Gambhir, Ishant return for New Zealand series - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/top-stories/Gambhir-Ishant-return-for-New-Zealand-series/articleshow/6809191.cms#ixzz13R6PjLjk
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