The Hindu : Sport : Mongia makes a comeback

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Friday, Jul 21, 2006

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Mongia makes a comeback

Special Correspondent

PHOTO: PTI

THE THINK-TANK AT WORK: The selection committee decided to go with the tried and tested, and the meeting lasted just 25 minutes.

Mumbai: Dinesh Mongia has been selected as an all-rounder in the 15-member Indian team for the tri-series in Sri Lanka to be played from August 14 to 29.

"Mongia is having an excellent run with Leicestershire in the county championship. We have two off-break bowlers in Harbhajan Singh and Ramesh Powar. Mongia's left-arm spin will be useful. He can bat, bowl and field well," said National selection committee chairman Kiran More here on Thursday.

Mongia's one-day career, spanning 51 matches, provides interesting statistics. He did not bowl until his 12th match against Zimbabwe at Mohali in March 2002, bowled in only 16 matches thereafter, went wicketless in 11 and took eight wickets in five matches at 46.25. His last match was against Pakistan at the Feroze Shah Kotla in April 2005.

"We have decided to give him (Mongia) another chance because he's performed well for Punjab in the domestic tournaments and in the English county championship. He's more likely to get opportunities than Robin Uthappa, whom we have not sidelined. It's just that the team has openers in Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag. Rahul (Dravid) has also opened the innings and in addition there's Mahendra Singh Dhoni," said More.

According to More, the selection committee meeting at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) office lasted only 25 minutes. The selectors preferred to retain left-arm seamer Rudra Pratap Singh in place of a specialist batsman in Uthappa. More said the selectors and the team management tried various combinations in the last 12 months and the time had come to settle down. "The tri-series in Sri Lanka and the ICC Champions Trophy are very important."

On Tendulkar's recovery, More said: "He played six matches in England, scored four centuries and two half-centuries and bowled a few overs. He has played enough matches to prove his fitness. The Indian team's physio John Gloster briefed the selectors about Tendulkar's fitness at the meeting today and we are satisfied with it," said More.

About Anil Kumble's selection for the one-dayers and his chances of playing the World Cup, More said the Karnataka leg-spinner had played enough cricket, bowled maximum overs and he could be brought back at any time. "We have certain plans for him and it will happen at the right time."

The team will assemble in Bangalore on July 25 for a week's fitness camp and thereafter from August 6 to 9 for a cricket camp. Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra, L. Balaji, Murali Kartik and a few other players, mainly the bowlers with the India `A' team in Australia, will be called for the fitness camp. "Nehra, Balaji and Kartik were injured and we are keen to assess their fitness," said More.

"Overall, I am happy with the Indian team's performance in the West Indies. Irfan's poor form is a concern, but all cricketers go through a lean patch. This has also happened to Yuvraj and Kaif. Recently England's Steve Harmison conceded almost 100 runs in an ODI. We lost the series 4-1 in the West Indies, but all this happened after we lost the second match which we should have won."

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