Shewag, Aashish Kapoor earn recalls

Big-hitting Delhi batsman Virender Shewag and Tamil Nadu off spinner Aashish Kapoor have been named to the Indian team for the final two games of the one-day series against Zimbabwe. This was announced by the BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele in Jodhpur on Saturday.

Shiv Sunder Das and Nikhil Chopra, neither of whom was played in the first three matches, are the players to make way. Das has been diagnosed unfit by the Board's physiotherapist, with a hamstring problem, according to Lele. As for Chopra, Lele said that a directive had come from the BCCI President not to pick him until he is cleared by the Board vis-a-vis his role in the match-fixing imbroglio.

"We did discuss VVS Laxman and Murali Kartik but after a lot of discussion we preferred Shewag and Kapoor", said chairman of selectors Chandu Borde who was also present. Shewag has played a solitary ODI for India, in the Pepsi Cup against Pakistan in 1998-99. He played a destructive knock for the Board President's XI against Zimbabwe in Faridabad last month, which perhaps pitchforked him into the limelight. "Shewag is a good striker of the ball, can also bowl off spinners, and gives 100% as a fielder. He has been doing well in local cricket", said Borde.

Kapoor who took 50 wickets in the Ranji Trophy last season is back in the Indian team after several years in the wilderness. Borde also said there was a lot of discussion on Yuvraj Singh's poor run. "We decided that he is a very talented cricketer and if we drop him now, it may do his confidence some damage". When asked whether Robin Singh's name had come up for discussion, Borde, choosing his words carefully, replied "Not just now."