Except for a couple of minor surprises the selection of the
Indian team for the two Test series in New Zealand has been along
predictable lines.
The first surprise involves the number of players making the
trip. For a three-week tour, consisting of just two Tests, one
first-class game and a limited overs match, one would think that
15 would have been enough instead of 16. This way, there is a
distinct possibility that a player or two could return without
playing a single game on the tour.

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One recalls how Woorkheri Raman was subjected to this unfortunate
treatment on the tour of Sri Lanka nine years ago. That was a
five-week tour comprising three Test matches, three one-day
internationals and a first-class match and yet the left-handed
batsman did not get to play a single game. Besides the fact that
it is quite needless to take superfluous 'baggage' on a trip, it
does no good for a player's morale when he becomes aware that he
is just a glorified tourist. Two wicketkeepers on a short trip
like this is an obvious luxury. And certainly at least one
batsman or one bowler will have practically nothing to do on the
tour.
In this connection one recalls that even when India toured New
Zealand in 1994, the team comprised only 15 players and that was
a four-week long tour during which two first-class games, a Test
match and four one-day internationals were played. And the number
was again 15 on the last trip there four years ago when the fiveweek tour comprised two first-class matches and three Tests.
Perhaps, the extra number is an insurance against the growing
number of niggling injuries carried by players as a result of too
much cricket.
Secondly, Indian spin bowlers have always done well in New
Zealand from the spin quartet in the sixties and seventies to
Dilip Doshi and Ravi Shastri in the 80s to Venkatpathy Raju, Anil
Kumble and Rajesh Chauhan in the 90s. India, in fact, have never
gone to New Zealand without less than three specialist spin
bowlers in the squad. Even on the lightning tour in 1994 when
only one Test match was played, Kumble, Raju and Chauhan were
fielded and in 1998-99 the spin bowlers were Kumble, Harbhajan
and Sunil Joshi.
Given this background one would have expected a third spinner
preferably Sarandeep Singh - to get the nod unless the selectors
are thinking in terms of Virender Sehwag being a serious spin
alternative.

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In the absence of Javagal Srinath and Kumble, the return of
Murali Kartik and Tinu Yohannan was always on the cards. Kartik
caught the eye with some penetrative bowling in the one-day
series against the West Indies but there is no doubt that he can
be a handy proposition in Test matches too. An attacking bowler
with the ideal temperament, Kartik should be given full rein on
the short tour to display his skill.
Yohannan has been the first reserve among the pace bowlers for
some time now and his recall gives the Kerala bowler another
opportunity to cement his place in the squad particularly with
Srinath in the evening of his career.
I am happy that Shiv Sundar Das is back. Not too long ago, the
diminutive Orissa batsman was strongly challenging Navjot Singh
Sidhu for the tag of India's finest opener in the post-Gavaskar
period. Since then he has been discarded rather prematurely. But
even with the selectors plumping for Sanjay Bangar, there is
little doubt that the need of the hour is a specialist opening
batsman.
With his technical proficiency, Das, whose Test career average is
still almost 35, fits the role admirably. One can only hope that
he gets a chance in the Tests, for India could certainly do with
his intense concentration and fierce determination at the top of
the order.
The rest of the squad picked themselves but even among these
players the performance of two or three will be watched with more
than passing interest for they have either not exactly
established themselves in the team or have been in indifferent
form.