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Cricket
MUMBAI, MARCH 21. Dinesh Mongia and Wasim Jaffer have been named in the 16-member Indian team for West Indies as the selectors seemed to have banked on current form when choosing the team to the Caribbean. Mongia's composure at the crease in the recent series against Zimbabwe helped him clinch a place in the batting order, while Jaffer's mountain of runs scored in first-class cricket earned him the nod for the opener's slot. Mongia's place in the India `A' squad to South Africa will be taken by Yuveraj Singh, another attacking young batsman and whose form with on the hard, bouncy South African wickets would be considered when the team for the five-match one-day series, to be played after the five Tests, is decided. Skipper Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath and V.V.S.Laxman are the six survivors from the squad which toured the West Indies in 1997. Sehwag was not considered for selection due to the shoulder injury, but Niranjan Shah, the honorary secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, who announced the 16- member squad at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, clarified that the dashing batsman's participation in the Test series may be considered, subject to a fitness test after completing two weeks needed for recovery and only if the Indian team management makes a specific request. Skipper Ganguly did not come for the Mumbai meeting, citing food poisoning as the reason. Coach John Wright was present, alongwith the selectors. Jaffer's recent form enabled him to edge out Connor Williams in the race for the second opener's slot, Shiv Sundar Das being the other specialist opener in the team. V.V.S. Laxman retained his place in the middle order on the strength of past reputation. Justifying his inclusion in the squad despite a string of below-par knocks in international cricket, chairman of selectors, Chandu Borde, said: ``Laxman had performed well in Australia on the bouncy wickets there, so we thought of including him against the West Indies.'' However, past reputation and current form did not help Nayan Mongia, the selectors choosing Ajay Ratra and Deep Dasgupta as the two specialist wicket-keepers. ``Nayan Mongia's name was considered,'' said Borde, when asked about the former India wicket-keeper. Nayan Mongia had done some outstanding work behind the stumps for Baroda in Ranji Trophy over the last two seasons, apart from timely reminders in the ongoing Duleep Trophy. The last time India toured West Indies in 1997, he had taken 13 catches and averaged 28 runs, aggregating 140 runs in the five Tests. The selectors have chosen Sanjay Bangar as the utility player in the squad, the Railways all-rounder giving skipper Ganguly an option in a team consisting of six specialist batsmen, two spinners - Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, besides four pace bowlers, among whom left-hander Ashish Nehra is making a comeback after missing India's tour of South Africa, due to a groin strain, and Tinu Yohannan is the new face. Javagal Srinath gets another opportunity to make up for the no-show on the 1997 tour, when he left for South Africa to get his shoulder treated. BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah informed that vice- captain Jacob Martin has been promoted to the captain's slot in the India `A' squad, now already in South Africa, with Mohammed Kaif as his deputy. The senior squad will leave for West Indies from Mumbai on April 1.
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