Zaheer, Kumble make comeback; Jaffer also named

CHANDIGARH: Ringing in significant changes following the Champions Trophy disappointment, national selectors on Monday recalled paceman Zaheer Khan and veteran spinner Anil Kumble to a 16-member one-day squad for India's tour of South Africa beginning next month.

Test opener Wasim Jaffer was also selected, ahead of the in-form Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman, for the five-match ODI series starting on November 19.

The 28-year-old Zaheer was rewarded for his consistent performances in the English county championship and in domestic matches at home, and takes the place of RP Singh in the squad announced by BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah.

The Baroda paceman last played one-day cricket during India's tour of Pakistan in January-February this year.

Kumble makes a comeback to the one-day side after more than a year -- he last represented Asia in Afro-Asian cricket in Centurion, South Africa, in August 2005 -- and replaces Mumbai offie Ramesh Powar in the squad that had been picked for the Champions Trophy.

The squad was the first to be named by the new selection committee headed by former Test cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar.

Vengsarkar said the selectors were "concerned" about the team's recent performances but did not want to go for wholesale changes.

"We are concerned about the team's performance. Basically, batsmen have to bat till the end in the one-dayers and bowlers have also to improve. We discussed the whole thing extensively," Vengsarkar said.

"But we cannot make wholesale changes in the team. There are players who have performed and there are others who have not performed. But this team is quite balanced," he said.

Vengsarkar said Jaffer, who is yet to play in one-dayers, was selected considering his ability to play well on seamer friendly tracks.

"We decided to take Jaffer considering the hard and bouncy tracks in South Africa. He has a very good technique and he should be able to do well," he said.

Asked why Laxman was not picked ahead of Jaffer, he said the Hyderabadi was not fit enough for international duty.

"Laxman's fitness is not upto the mark. We have seen him in Duleep Trophy matches and felt that he was not fully fit yet for international matches."

Asked if Jaffer could be asked to open in one-dayers, Vengsarkar said he could not discuss the issue at this point of time.

"We cannot discuss it right now. But, yes, he is an option. However, I won't like to disturb the current combination."

On Zaheer's inclusion, the former Indian captain said, "he has improved a lot and has been bowling quite well."

Vengsarkar, however, regretted that there were not enough talented players in reserve who could be tried in international matches.

"There is not much talent. The first class players are not ready for international cricket. I would say no exceptional talent is there in the country."

Injured duo of Ajit Agarkar and Yuvraj Singh were included in the squad subject to passing a fitness test. In case they fail to pass the fitness test, their places would be taken by VRV Singh and Dinesh Kaarthick respectively.

The fitness test will take place on November 10.

The Indian team, which lost to Australia on Sunday to bow out of the Champions Trophy, will leave for South Africa on November 13 from Mumbai. The five-match ODI series will be followed by three Tests, the squad for which would be named later.

Also read:

Squad: Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Mohd. Kaif, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Mongia, Munaf Patel, S Sreesanth, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, M S Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Ajit Agarkar/VRV Singh, Yuvraj Singh/Dinesh Kaarthick.