Related Link : South Africa’s Tour of India 2007/08
The Selectors as per the Team Physio, John Gloster have decided to give rest for Ishant Sharma for the first Test against South Africa. The National Selectors headed by Dilip Vengsarkar along with Captain Anil Kumble and Coach Gary Kirsten have named a 14-member squad for the first two tests. The squad consists of three pacers and three spinners.
A couple of players have been named as reserve players with Vice-Captain and Wicket Keeper MS Dhoni and Murali Kartik recovering from their respective injuries. Dhoni has a sprained finger and will undergo a fitness test on the 21st. Dinesh Karthik, who has been dropped from the squad is named as his back-up. Meanwhile Murali Kartik is doubtful to play the first Test as he had sprained his ankle during the ongoing Deodhar Trophy. Young leg spinner Piyush Chawla will replace him if Kartik doesn’t recover in time for the first Test at Chennai which starts on 26th.
The Indian pace attack will be carried by Sreesanth and RP Singh, who has recovered from his injury that kept him out of the Tests and CB Series in Australia. Ishant Sharma is out with the same toe and finger injury which he had sustained during the 1st Final of the CB Series.
Most of the Test Squad remains the same with the Selectors showing faith in Wasim Jaffer and ignoring Gautam Gambhir. There was a brief uncertainty about Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh this morning about their availability for selection. But with Yuvraj coming on time for a fitness test in Bangalore cleared the doubts about him while Harbhajan had communicated to the Board. The off spinner will undergo his fitness test on the 21st.
India Squad for first two Tests : Anil Kumble (Captain), Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Wicket Keeper), Yuvraj Singh, R.P. Singh, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Sreesanth and Murali Kartik Reserves : Dinesh Karthik (Wicket Keeper) and Piyush Chawla