No room for complaint

Under the circumstances, with Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra injured, the Indian selectors have picked the best team they could have. There are two changes from the squad to Australia that are especially notable: one, Yuvraj Singh comes in as the seventh batsman, in place of Sadagoppan Ramesh; and two, India play just one wicketkeeper, using the extra slot to expand the spin attack to three people, with Murali Kartik and Ramesh Powar being picked to support Anil Kumble.

Ramesh did nothing wrong in Australia that could have led to his omission, but the needs of the team have changed, and that alone must always determine selection. The top of the order was shaky when India embarked upon that tour, and it made sense to have insurance for Aakash Chopra and Virender Sehwag in the form of another opening batsman. But Chopra and Sehwag both excelled in Australia, and there is less uncertainty about their positions. A middle-order back-up thus makes eminent sense, in case of injury to any of India's batsmen. Yuvraj is clearly India's best batting talent outside of the first-XI players, and the selectors have done the right thing by backing his talent. Besides, he has expressed his willingness to open, and is certainly far more talented than Ramesh - or any other Indian opener.

India's reverting to a classical trio of a legspinner, a left-arm spinner and an offspinner was always likely, and Murali Kartik was the best choice to join Anil Kumble on the tour. Sunil Joshi would also have been in the reckoning, but Kartik is much younger, and deserves an extended run. As for Ramesh Powar, he was the best choice out of an uninspiring lot of offspinners. Sarandeep Singh has been tried and found wanting, while Kulamani Parida hasn't had the consistency at first-class level to justify selection. Powar is a handy bat, of course, though that would not have been much of a factor in his selection.

In the Irani Trophy earlier this season, Powar had bowled superbly against Rest of India in the first innings, flighting the ball and attacking constantly, but had been taken apart by Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman in the second. It was a study in contrasts, and it will be fascinating to see how the Pakistanis deal with him, and how he holds his nerve. By all accounts, he has the temperament for the big game. Of course, that is never enough by itself.

Parthiv Patel's selection was always on the cards after he was picked as the reserve wicketkeeper for the one-dayers. With Dravid certain to keep wicket in the ODI series, it would have been logical for the selectors to decide who they wanted in the Test side, and to pick him as Dravid's reserve in the one-dayers so he could acclimatise to the conditions. But should Ajay Ratra, or Dinesh Kartik, have been picked? Well, Parthiv may have had a bad series in Australia, but Ratra was no more impressive in his time with the Indian team. It is a fair choice, but Parthiv clearly cannot be persisted with for much longer if he doesn't get his act together.

With Nehra injured, the four fast bowlers picked themselves. Ajit Agarkar has been picked despite just recovering from injury, with no practice, but even without match fitness, he is still a better choice than Amit Bhandari, who is pedestrian at best, and Munaf Patel, who has promise and hype behind him, but not enough in terms of performance to show for it.

All in all, then, a good selection. Now it's up to the players to justify the faith shown in them.

Amit Varma is managing editor of Wisden Cricinfo in India.