Indian eves ready to slug it out for World Cup selection

With the CricInfo Tourney starting tomorrow, the thirty seven Indian women probables arrived in New Delhi accompanied by coach Sudha Shah. The tournament, to be played in the Challenger format, promises to be competitive as this will be the final criterion for selecting the team that heads to New Zealand to represent India in the CricInfo Women's World Cup. The group contains a well balanced mixture of youth and experience.

The tournament is to be played over four straight days, starting on the 25th of September. The first three days will see the A, B and C teams take on each other once on a round-robin basis. The final will be played on the 28th. All matches will take place at the Jamia Millia ground. The ground, housed at one of the more famous centres of learning in the city, is reputed to be among the best playing surfaces. Although the facilities that the ground offers cannot match those of the Delhi & District Cricket Association ground, the solid batting strip and lush outfield more than make up for any shortcomings.

Speaking to CricInfo, the Honorary Secretary of the Women's Cricket Association of India, Anuradha Dutt, said that all preparations for the World Cup were going on schedule. She added however that only coach Sudha Shah was a certainty to travel to New Zealand. Any other supporting staff like a physio or doctor were yet to be chosen. The final announcement of the team and staff is expected on the 28th.

India A has among its ranks experienced campaigners like Chanderakantha Aheer, who returned from England specifically to be able to take part in this World Cup. She has led India with success in the past and has the admiration and respect of all the youngsters. Alongside her, Mumbai, West Zone and India southpaw Aarti Vaidya will take on the attack. Railways allrounder Deepa Kulkarni is another player to watch.

For India B, sizzling left hander from Delhi, Anjum Chopra, will be the star attraction. She has made runs in both forms of the game, both in India and abroad, and will certainly feature prominently in India's challenge in New Zealand. Her Air India teammate Purnima Rau too will play a key part. Purnima is one of the few genuinely hard hitting batswomen in the country. With her years of experience, she usually manages to send down useful overs of off spin as well. Another India cap Kalyani Umbrani will also add strength to the side. The West Zone skipper can bowl tight spells of mediumpace and has the ability to play long innings. Sangeetha Kamat, the bowling allrounder, is reputed to be the Jonty Rhodes of Indian women's cricket and she will definitely give her team the edge on the field.

India C boasts the finest wicketkeeper in Indian women's cricket at the moment - Anju Jain. The pugnacious stumper has also shown a surplus of ability with the bat and prefers to bat at the top of the order. Mediumpacer Renu Margaret, batswomen Hemlata Kala, Amritha Shinde and spinner Neetu David complete a well balanced India C team.

As the three teams square off, there will be nothing to lose and everything to play for. Even the results of these matches is secondary. What matters is who catches the selectors' eye and who does not.

India A: Chanderakantha Aheer, Reshma Gandhi, Aarti Vaidya, Vaishali Landge, Jaya Sharma, Rupanjali Shastri, Seema Pujari, Deepa Kulkarni, Suneeta Kanojia, Neelima Waghmare, Smitha Harikrishna, Swarnalakshmi and Rupa Begum

India B: Anjum Chopra, Gurdeep Kaur, Mithali Raj, Vanita Viola, Rakhi Mehra, Varsha Raphael, Purnima Rau, Sangeeta Kamat, Kalyani Umbrani, Kavita Roy, GS Lakshmi and Rumeli Dhar

India C: Anju Jain, Arundhati Kirkire, Hemlata Kala, Amrita Shinde, Gulshan Sharma, Mamta Krishan, Bindeshwari Goel, Neetu David, Renu Margaret, Purnima Choudhary, Umesh Kumari and Jhulan Goswami.