Bowling line up for Kolkata Test surgically transformed

India's bowling underwent a surgical transformation after some selectoral tinkering at their meeting in Delhi this evening. All four changes in the 14 man squad for the second Test at Kolkata figured in the bowling department as Venkatesh Prasad, Ashish Nehra, Venkatapathy Raju and Sarandeep Singh earned recalls after varying spells in the wilderness. It left off spinner Harbhajan Singh as the only holdover in the Indian attack from the first Test at Mumbai last week.

Of the others, Javagal Srinath and Ajit Agarkar cried off with injuries while Rahul Sanghvi was axed after an unsatisfactory debut. Having sprung into the team from oblivion, leg spinner Narendra Hirwani's renewed flirtation with the India cap is also at an end. The batting line-up escapes unscathed although it may be argued that they were guilty of the more blatant dereliction of duty in the first Test. The middle order, even if it badly let down the team with one honourable exception, is not easily amenable to change. And while the opening slots remain our weakest link, it is difficult to look beyond the two incumbents Das and Ramesh, notwithstanding stands of seven and 33 at Mumbai.

Srinath's hairline fracture of his right index finger seems not to have healed despite his own proclamations to the contrary while Agarkar has apparently contracted a bout of viral fever. That left two new ball slots to fill and the selectors fell back on Prasad who bowled decently enough in his only previous outing against the Aussies in India four years ago. The 31-year-old will need to summon his vast reservoirs of experience as he faces up to the challenge of spearheading the attack in Srinath's absence. Ashish Nehra earns a recall after a solitary Test cap more than two years ago but is unlikely to sneak into the eleven in the presence of fellow left armer Zaheer Khan.

After picking Hirwani for the first Test and giving the impression that he was India's surprise weapon, the selectors chose to go with a couple of rookie spinners who did not know where to bowl when Gilchrist went berserk. Hirwani immediately stood trial in a kangaroo court at the Feroz Shah Kotla, was found guilty, and is now faced with a long and possibly lasting exile in domestic cricket.

However the folly of going in with two raw hands in the spinning mill is not likely to be repeated in the second Test. Venkatapathy Raju returns for the first time since the last Australian visit to India in 1997/98. Raju did not enjoy the most successful of series on that occasion, scalping seven wickets at 42.42. But he bowled at a niggardly rate and kept things tight for Kumble at the other end, which may have played a significant part in the latter's own success. Raju's economy rate was second only to Kumble among bowlers on either side and he slips easily into the role of bowling long spells and generally keeping things quiet. His career tally of 92 wickets at a strike rate of one every thirteen overs suggests he is no mug when it comes to taking wickets either.

Harbhajan's Punjab colleague Sarandeep Singh earns a recall after his five wicket haul against the Aussies at the Kotla. You have to go back to Kingston in 1989 for the last time India went into a Test with two off spinners (Arshad Ayub and M Venkataramana). Sarandeep was unlucky to be left out in the first place after collecting six wickets on his Test debut against Zimbabwe at Nagpur but Sairaj Bahutule's leg breaks, combined with his not inconsiderable batting skills, may have been a more inspired choice.

India went into the first Test with the defensive tactic of six batsmen which did not translate into any tangible dividend. Picking a fifth bowler for Kolkata would seem to be a more proactive option, in which case Laxman might retain his place to allow for the admittedly short-term remedy of using Nayan Mongia as opener at the expense of Das. India needs to step up the ante if they are to make any headway in this series after going one down with two to play. In the pursuit of a more attacking team balance, it cannot make immense difference whether India lose 1-0 or 3-0 in the final analysis.

The team: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Sadagoppan Ramesh, SS Das, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Hemang Badani, Nayan Mongia, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Venkatesh Prasad, Harbhajan Singh, Venkatapathy Raju, Sarandeep Singh.