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Kumble and Laxman omitted from one-day squad

Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman have been omitted from the Indian squad for the first two one-day internationals against Pakistan

Cricinfo staff
28-Mar-2005


Dinesh Mongia: another opportunity to prove his one-day prowess © Getty Images
Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman have been omitted from the Indian squad for the first two one-day internationals against Pakistan. The selectors have also decided to drop Dinesh Karthik and Gautam Gambhir, opting instead for Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Mongia, Murali Kartik and MS Dhoni.
Kumble and Laxman have been regulars in the Test side, but have struggled to make it to the one-day team of late - both were left out for the ODIs against Bangladesh in December as well. Dhoni made his debut in that series, and though he didn't get too many opportunities with the bat, his aggressive batting in the domestic games ensured that he got the nod ahead of Karthik, who kept wicket in the just-concluded Test series against Pakistan. Mongia was on the tour to Bangladesh as well, and gets another opportunity to make his case after strong performances for Lancashire in the county circuit and in the Indian domestic season.
Pakistan play a warm-up one-day match against India A on March 30, while the first of six internationals will be played at Kochi on April 2.
Squad
Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly (capt), Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Mongia, Mahendra Dhoni (wk), Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Ashish Nehra, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Zaheer Khan.