Bengal pacer Ashok Dinda was an unhappy man after being excluded from India A team's upcoming triangular one-day series, but he got a surprise call in the Rest of India squad.
KOLKATA: Bengal pacer Ashok Dinda was an unhappy man after being excluded from India A team's upcoming triangular one-day series, but on Monday he got a surprise call in the 14-member Rest of India squad for Irani Trophy, meant to feature probables for the October-slated Australia series.
Dinda, after being overlooked for the the ODI series against Australia A and New Zealand A sides starting September 16, had more than a reason to rejoice after the national selectors in Mumbai today named him in the ROI squad that will play against last season's Ranji champions, Delhi, in a four-day tie from September 24-28 in Rajkot.
"Obviously, the call was a surprise today. I was a little down after seeing my name scrapped from the India A one-day side this morning. I did not perform that well recently... But I was prepared for a call anytime. Now, I'm more than happy and really excited to use this as an opportunity to prove myself at the big state," Dinda said from Hyderabad.
However, the 24-year-old is not in a hurry to make the India cut.
"I am taking one match at a time. At the moment, I've my eyes set on the Rajkot match. I know everybody sees this as a tournament to pick the squad for the touring Australia side... But I'm not thinking on those lines. I want to concentrate on the basics and give my best in the Irani Trophy," he added.
Having impressed the likes of Ricky Ponting and Brendon McCullum in the inaugural Indian Premier League, the right-arm medium-pacer from Midnapore got a call in the India A squad that played three away limited overs match against Israel.
In the series against Israel he picked up six wickets from three matches, which wax instrumental in his selection for the two-match unofficial Test series between India A and Australia A sides in Hyderabad.
However, Dinda gives full credit to the cash-rich IPL which helped him to come under the selectors notice.
"My performance in IPL -- nine wickets from 13 matches -- meant that I was noticed by many," Dinda conceded.
Having made his first-class debut for Bengal in the 2005-06 season, Dinda was a regular member of the side that reached the final of the Ranji Trophy next season.
In the last season, Dinda had bagged 11 wickets from three matches.
){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}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}