India injects new blood into Test side (21 January 1999)
NEW DELHI, Jan 21 (AFP) - Indian cricket selectors unveiled a new-look squad Thursday to face Pakistan in the first Test in Madras next week
21-Jan-1999
21 January 1999
India injects new blood into Test side
AFP
NEW DELHI, Jan 21 (AFP) - Indian cricket selectors unveiled a new-look
squad Thursday to face Pakistan in the first Test in Madras next week.
Opening bat Navjot Sidhu and vice-captain Ajay Jadeja were dropped
from the team that lost the recent Test series in New Zealand, while
two new caps made it onto the 14-man squad.
All-rounder Laxmi Ratan Shukla and opening bat Sadagopan Ramesh were
the fresh faces contesting a final place in skipper Mohammad
Azharuddin's team to kick off the first Test series against a Pakistan
side in India for 12 years.
"We thought youngsters should get a chance," said selection committee
chairman Ajit Wadekar.
"We found Jadeja wanting against swing bowling and youngsters have
shown good performaces in the domestic cricket."
Fast bowler Ajit Agarkar, nursing an injury, has also been left out
for the first Test.
The team will be selected from:
Mohammad Azharuddin (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Rahul
Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Javagal Srinath, Nayan Mongia (wicket-keeper),
Harbhajan Singh, Sunil Joshi, Sadagopan Ramesh, Hrishikesh Kanitkar,
Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Venkatesh Prasad, Anil Kumble.
Source :: AFP