February 27: While cricket lovers in the country would be discussing Sachin Tendulkar's dominance over Shane Warne in the first encounter at Mumbai, it's the selection of the Indian squad for the first Test which provides material for much debate.The Ranji Trophy Super League matches have given enough time and opportunity for the selectors to assess the form of the contenders before picking the team.The omission of Venkatesh Prasad is unfortunate. He is left wondering what he should do to get back into the squad. The chairman of the selection committee has been quoted as saying that Prasad is ``unfit''. There is a world of difference in a player ruling himself unfit and a player being deemed unfit by the selectors.The point is particularly glaring as Prasad has been picked to play the Board President's XI three-day game against Australians at Vishakapatnam. The only recourse left for Prasad is to prove his fitness in a manner which would satisfy the selectors.Of all the Indian seamers who haveplayed in the recent times, Prasad has been the most impressive, especially on wickets where there is a fair bit of ``carry'', like the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, venues for the first and third Tests respectively.The fact that Prasad is a good exponent of the `reverse swing' - remember the Calcutta Test against South Africa? - should have made him an automatic choice for the entire series.In Prasad's absence, Javagal Srinath will have an added responsibility to guide and encourage the relatively-inexperienced seamers in Harvinder Singh and Debashish Mohanty.The combination of the side is such that it gives skipper Mohammed Azharuddin enough options to decide on the playing eleven as well as the nature of the tracks on which to play on.Rahul Dravid, thankfully, retains his place in the Test side as a matter of right and on the strength of his sheer class and achievements of the highest order.The Indian middle-order, with Azhar, Saurav Ganguly,Tendulkar and Dravid, should be rated as one of the most accomplished in world cricket today. It is attested by the fact that somebody like Vinod Kambli has to be left out despite his great form.Hrishikesh Kanitkar is in the squad due to the fact that he has not done anything wrong. Moreover, his usefulness as an off-spinner also is an advantage.Navjot Sidhu, the senior pro, will open with Nayan Mongia and would be expected to provide a solid foundation. Mongia has effectively performed his duties as a makeshift opener, including a big hundred against the Aussies in New Delhi.VVS Laxman, presumably picked as an opener, has to bide his time to get a chance in the playing eleven which is rather hard on a youngster.The recall of Venkatapathy Raju is an indication that experience has been given preference over youth. Though the same yardstick has not been applied while picking the medium-pacers. Raju, apparently, seems to be the best available choice, which cannot be really debated.It is good to seethat Rajesh Chauhan has been cleared. It will be a great relief for him and help him concentrate on his job.Anil Kumble, who has had a mixed response from the selectors this season, is getting wickets in heaps and one can only hope he sustains the form for the rest of the season.The trio of Raju, Chauhan and Kumble, is obviously happy working together. They would be the ones who can win the series for the team.
