Four changes for second Test

By Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 7. The Australian visit is not even half-way through but it has forced some desperate measures. In what seems to be another attempt to experiment with experience, the National selection committee has recalled Venkatapathy Raju and Venkatesh Prasad for the second Test at Calcutta. Two other changes have also been effected to bring in left-arm medium-pacer Ashish Nehra and off-spinner Sarandeep Singh for the match beginning on March 11.

The four replacements have been made at the expense of the injured new ball bowlers Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar, and spinners Narendra Hirwani and Rahul Sanghvi.

Srinath does not figure in the squad owing to a fracture in his right index finger, while, Agarkar had been ruled out due to viral fever. ``They (Srinath and Agarkar) are not available, so they have been replaced, '' said Mr. Chandu Borde, Chairman of the National selection committee, here on Wednesday. On the lines of Hirwani's inclusion before the first Test at Mumbai, which India lost rather dismally, the experienced Raju is back after a gap of three years. The Hyderabad spinner's last appearance in a Test was against the Australians at Bangalore in 1998. ``We had a lot of discussion and considered Sanghvi, Raju and Nilesh Kulkarni but we decided to go for experience. We thought Raju bowled well in the nets (at the training camp in Chennai). He has a good track record, so we have chosen him, '' said Mr. Borde. Commenting on Hirwani's exclusion, Mr. Borde said, ``Though Hirwani is bowling all right, we felt he may not be useful in Calcutta. We thought Raju and Sarandeep will perform better. The young off-spinner bowled well here (in the three-day match) on a flat track. We felt he will deliver the goods. ''

Apart from Raju, another seasoned performer, Prasad, was chosen to share the burden of attack. Prasad, who played his last Test in Australia last year, was dropped from the squad after a none- too-impressive stint Down Under.

The other replacement in the medium-pace department, Nehra, has been selected on the basis of a decent performance in the current domestic season.

Though, the batting failed to click in the first Test at Mumbai, the selectors decided to retain the same combination. ``We even had an upperhand (when Australia was 99 for five) but Adam Gilchrist and Mathew Hayden played very well and took the match away from us. We want bowlers. Unfortunately, we do not have good spinners in the land of spinners. We have plenty of batsmen though, '' said Mr. Borde, who sounded satisfied with Sourav Ganguly's captaincy.

Wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia has recovered from his finger injury, according to Mr. Borde, who also mentioned that the names of Debasis Mohanty, Vijay Dahiya and Sameer Dighe also were discussed.

The team:

Sourav Ganguly (capt.)

Shiv Sundar Das

S. Ramesh

Rahul Dravid

Sachin Tendulkar

V. V. S. Laxman

Hemang Badani

Nayan Mongia

Venkatapathy Raju

Harbhajan Singh

Sarandeep Singh

Venkatesh Prasad

Zaheer Khan

Ashish Nehra

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