Best available team will go to Lanka: Vengsarkar

Vengsarkar, however, professed ignorance over the injury scare to left arm pacer Zaheer Khan who, as per media reports quoting National Cricket Academy physiotherapist V Muthukumar, is still being troubled by the recurrence of the ankle injury that he had sustained in Australia last December.

“I know nothing about that,” he said when queried on the matter.

According to Muthukumar’s report to the BCCI the left arm pacer’s fitness can be fully ascertained only after he plays a couple of three or four-day matches and India have only one warm-up game scheduled before the first Test Colombo from July 23-37.

Zaheer had attended the fitness-specific session for some players at the NCA in Bangalore where his ankle injury was assessed by the physio.

Along with Zaheer, another regular India pacer S Sreesanth has missed the team’s last two campaigns, the tri-series in Bangladesh and the ongoing Asia Cup in Pakistan, because of a side strain which he sustained during the last stages of the Indian Premier League.

Left arm pacer Irfan Pathan also missed the early part of the Asia Cup, though being part of the team, because of an injury.

Vengsarkar said though the Indian bowlers had given away a lot of runs in the Asia Cup, it did not concern him too much considering the type of batsmen-friendly tracks prepared for the matches in Karachi.

“The tracks in Karachi have been flat. Only a score of 350 could be termed defendable in those conditions. Considering this fact I would say that the bowling has not been of great concern. I think the team has done very well in the tournament and I hope they win the title,” he said.

India is to play Sri Lanka in the title-clash on Saturday at Karachi.

Talking about the Kanga League, Vengsarkar mentioned during the prize distribution ceremony that he had played in this unique tournament, played in Mumbai at the height of its monsoon season, for 20 years.

“It’s a unique tournament and I have played 20 years for the same club, Dadar Union. I find nowadays players change their club after a season or two,” he said.

“With the advent of Twenty20 and 50-over cricket this is the only tournament where the bowlers hold an upper hand as they are played on soft wickets,” he added.