Two-skipper theory gets scuppered

The selectors offered no surprises today in naming their team for the first three ODIs against South Africa but there could be ripples when ...

The selectors offered no surprises today in naming their team for the first three ODIs against South Africa but there could be ripples when they pick the Test team to play Sri Lanka. Rahul Dravid will lead that side, too, debunking the two-captain theory floated recently, and Sourav Ganguly, if picked, will play as a batsman.

BCCI sources said Team India’s ‘‘unprecedented momentum’’ in the 6-1 defeat of the Lankans has removed whatever little inclination they had towards the two-captain policy, pioneered by Australia in the late 1990s.

The Board, a top official said, was never too keen anyway on pursuing the policy though they did discuss it. ‘‘The BCCI till date hasn’t sat with the selectors to brief them about introducing the two-captain policy for the December Test series. All that the selectors have been told so far is to keep the matter in mind, not to specifically think about it for the Tests against Sri Lanka’’, the source said.

Meanwhile, Ganguly’s return to the team keeps hitting roadblocks. Even if his own form was good — which it currently isn’t — he’d face problems breaking into a winning team.