 Selectors induct new faces in ODI squad
30th May 2008 18:02 IST
Agencies
The thrust of the selectors seems clearly on youth with Yusuf, elder brother of Irfan, being 25 years of age and Ojha, 21. Raina, who has played 36 ODIs, is only 21.
Yusuf's performance as a hard-hitting top order batsman for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, after a lone appearance in the final of the T20 World Cup in South Africa against Pakistan which India won to be crowned the format's emperors last September, seems to have swung things in his favour.
The Baroda player can also bowl flat off breaks and has come into the squad for the utility value he brings to the side.
Ojha is not very experienced even at the first class level, having played only 30 matches, but the unavailability of the more experienced Murali Kartik, due to an injury sustained in the IPL, has giving him a chance to show his mettle at the international level.
With both Tendulkar and Ganguly not in the squad, Virender Sehwag and his Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir, who is also in very good form, are the two specialist openers.
The spin department lacks experience with young Piyush Chawla, who has been quite impressive in the IPL, and Ojha being the two specialist spinners.
The pace department, however, looks quite good with Ishant Sharma, S Sreesanth, R P Singh, Irfan Pathan and Praveen Kumar having to share the pace load.
The team: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Yuvraj Singh (Vice-Capt.), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Irfan Pathan, Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, S Sreesanth, Yusuf Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Praveen Kumar, Rudra Pratap Singh, Piyush Chawla and Pragyan Ojha. |
