Mongia may yet open in Test

GWALIOR, JAN 22: If Indian cricket fans believed what national selection committee chairman Ajit Wadekar said during the team announcement in Delhi this week, they might be in for a rude shock when the first Test begins in Chennai. Instead of VVS Laxman or S Ramesh, we might just see Nayan Mongia walking in to open the innings. According to the national selector from Central Zone, Anil Deshpande, 8220;The options are still open and Nayan will be asked to bat if the situation before the match demands it. For instance, if the team opts for five bowlers, then Nayan may open.8221;

Interestingly, only a couple of hours back, Shivlal Yadav, the selector from South Zone said, 8220;Ramesh will definitely open. We thought it was the ideal opportunity for the youngster to start in front of his home crowd.8221; Now, has each selector been given a different brief? That Wadekar has not been having a very smooth run at the helm came to light a month back when some selectors were reported to have written a letter to the BCCIprotesting against the arbitrary8217; way in which Robin Singh Jr was picked for the New Zealand tour without consulting them. In the event, can this new twist be dismissed as just another communication gap?