Anil Kumble's inclusion or otherwise will be the main topic of discussion when the national selectors meet here on Thursday to pick a 15-member Indian team for the upcoming cricket tri-series in Sri Lanka.
MUMBAI: Anil Kumble's inclusion or otherwise will be the main topic of discussion when the national selectors meet here on Thursday to pick a 15-member Indian team for the upcoming cricket tri-series in Sri Lanka.
Kumble, India's leading wicket-taker in Tests, was left out from the one-day scheme of things after Australian Greg Chappell took over as coach last year.
But a stellar performance by the 35-year-old Karnataka leggie in the recent Test series in the Caribbean, where cricket's flagship event is to be played next year, has led to calls for his inclusion into the one-day team.
While Sachin Tendulkar is certain to return to the team after being declared fit, the selectors may have a lengthy discussion on Kumble.
Whether the ace spinner, now in England to play for Surrey club, comes back or not would rest on whether Chappell's thinking has undergone any radical change in recent weeks. Chappell will not be present at the meeting but his views will certainly have a bearing while selecting the team.
India lost 1-4 to Brian Lara's men in the one-dayers but bounced back to clinch the Test series 1-0, their first in 35 years, with Kumble emerging as the series highest wicket-taker with 23 scalps.
The decision on Kumble, who for the most part of 2003 World Cup remained on the bench, would also rely on how strong is the support for Ramesh Powar, both from the selectors and within the team management.
One come back that is a foregone conclusion is that of Tendulkar who was on Tuesday declared fit from a shoulder operation without undergoing a fitness test.
Robin Uthappa, who opened the innings with Virender Sehwag in Tendulkar's absence, would make way for the master batsman.
No major changes are expected to the team that played in the Caribbean although Venugopala Rao's position might have weakened a bit.
The names of Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Mongia have been doing the rounds but it appears unlikely that they will get the nod. The 19-year-old Sharma, although impressive in the one-day matches, is yet to play a first-class game.
Mongia has yet to do anything of significance in the English County season this summer, but given the influential role of his home state Punjab in the Board's present scheme of things, the left-hander could very well sneak into the team.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=spacer}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}