Hemang Badani storms into Asia Cup squad

Hemang Badani of Tamil Nadu and Amit Bhandari of Delhi were the only uncapped players in the 14 member Indian squad for the Asia Cup in Dhaka announced in Pune today. In the only other close call, Saba Karim retained his place as the wicketkeeper ostensibly on the basis of his superior batting ability which he has largely left to the imagination so far. The other eleven basically picked themselves with the selectors pointedly ignoring the pleas from county sides Kent and Leicestershire to allow Rahul Dravid, who was named vice captain of the team, and Anil Kumble to stay back in England for the county season.

Vinod Kambli was ignored which is understandable although the logic provided by the chairman of selectors, Chandu Borde, that he was more suited for Test cricket, is a difficult pill to swallow. Kambli scored 330 runs at an average of 110 in four Deodhar Trophy matches this season which surely ought to count for something. At 28, the sands of time seem to be running out for him with younger, fitter men proliferating in the domestic ranks.

This is not to damn Badani about whom Borde said, "he is a brilliant fielder and we were all very impressed with him at Mumbai. Kapil Dev, who watched him here, also spoke to us in glowing terms. Badani is the most outstanding young player in the camp". Reetinder Sodhi was reportedly 'discussed at length' which should be of little consolation and like him, Mohammed Kaif and Sridharan Sriram, room mates at the National Cricket Academy, will have to return to the more prosaic environs of the Chinnaswamy Stadium after being in the squad for India's two previous one-day series. Kaif didn't get to play while Sriram got a solitary outing. Too little evidence on which to drop a player one would have thought but the selectors have their own whims to pander to.

The nine day conditioning camp for the 25 probables, which began on May 14 and was affected by the monsoon, concluded today two days ahead of schedule. The team will reassemble in Delhi on May 27 before flying to Dhaka on the following day. Dravid and Kumble will join the team in the Bangladesh capital on May 28. The tournament begins on the same day with a match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India's first match is on May 30, against the home side. Robin Singh who injured himself in a soccer tackle at the camp is back to full fitness. Captain Saurav Ganguly made it back from England for today's selection committee meeting which was attended by all five selectors, with coach Kapil Dev and BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele also being present.

The team: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid (vice captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Mohd. Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Robin Singh, Hemang Badani, Anil Kumble, Saba Karim, Sunil Joshi, Nikhil Chopra, Ajit Agarkar, Thirunavukkarasu Kumaran and Amit Bhandari. Coach: Kapil Dev, Physio: Andrew Leipus, Manager: Samiran Chakraborty, Secretary, Tripura Cricket Association.