Selectors ‘release’ Yuvraj, Kaif comes in

Selectors ‘release’ Yuvraj, Kaif comes in
Express News Service

New Delhi, November 22: Yuvraj Singh has been ‘released’ from the Indian team and will now play for Punjab in their Ranji Trophy match against Delhi, which starts Thursday. Yuvraj’s place in the Indian team will be taken by another youngster, Uttar Pradesh’s Mohammad Kaif. That apart, there were no other changes in the team for the November 25-29 Nagpur Test.

Selection chief Chandu Borde, dropping in at the press box on the final day of the Test and hurriedly announcing the 14-member squad, explained: ‘‘Yuvraj has not been ‘dropped’. Rather than sitting out in the Test, we thought he would be better off playing Ranji Trophy matches. ‘‘Yuvraj will play in the one-day series. So, we want him to be match fit. By playing in the Ranji game, he will at least stay in touch.’’

He couldn’t say a word when asked whether the same rule should also apply to Kaif. Borde said the selectors were more than happy with the performance of players here, adding the two left-arm spinners Sunil Joshi and Murali Kartik were selected after ‘‘weighing different options’’.

The selectors thus, again ignored the claims of Punjab off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, whom the team insisted on having even in the Delhi Test. Borde would not say whether Harbhajan’s name was considered or not saying Sarandeep Singh deserves a chance.

The Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly was oblivious of the selection. When told, he expressed his surprise and said neither he nor coach John Wright knew when the selectors met to pick the side. ‘‘You only have told me, I have no idea as to what the team is,’’ he told mediamen after the team won the Test.

The Team: Saurav Ganguly (Captain), Sadagoppan Ramesh, Shiv Sunder Das, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar, Vijay Dahiya (wk), Sharandeep Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Murali Kartik, Sunil Joshi Coach:John Wright