India bolster bowling attack for second Test
India have recalled left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan for the second Test against Zimbabwe as they bid to complete a 2-0 rout of the tourists.
Zaheer, a surprise exclusion for the first Test, and rookie off-spinner Sharandeep Singh have been included in the eleven for the second Test starting at the Vidharbha Cricket Association ground in Nagpur on Saturday.
Indian captain Sourav Ganguly admitted he made a mistake not playing a fifth bowler in the Delhi Test, even though the home team cruised to a seven-wicket win.
"We put too much workload on Javagal Srinath by going in with just four bowlers," Ganguly said on Friday. "It was a mistake."
Srinath, India's main strike bowler in the absence of the injured Anil Kumble, sent down 35 overs in the first innings and 24.1 in the second for a haul of nine wickets in the match.
"I don't want to see Srinath bowl 50 overs again in a match," the Indian captain said. "He's just come back from injury and needs adequate rest."
Ganguly was criticised in the Indian media for keeping out Zaheer, the team's bowling find of the season, to play an additional batsman in Venkatsai Laxman on the placid Kotla wicket.
Laxman now makes way for Zaheer, while Sharandeep makes his debut replacing left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, who claimed just two second innings wickets in the Delhi Test.
The 21-year-old Sharandeep claimed 37 first-class wickets last season, but failed to take any during Zimbabwe's three-day tour opener against the National Cricket Academy in Indore.
Ganguly said he expected both batsmen and bowlers to prosper on the grassless, but hard Nagpur wicket which will afford more bounce than the one at the Kotla.
"I would have preferred a turner, but there is little one can do at this late stage," said Ganguly, who hopes to complete a hat-trick of wins in his first three Tests as captain.
He led India to victory against Bangladesh in the inaugural Test in Dhaka earlier this month before winning the first of two back-to-back Tests against Zimbabwe.
"I am not after records, but any victory is welcome. India has lacked consistency in the past, and hope we will rectify that," he said.
Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak was, meanwhile, confident of matching India's all-round superiority, despite the heavy defeat in the first Test.
"We gave it away in the second innings after making 422 in the first," Streak said. "But the top order and the spin department are a bit of a worry.
Opening batsman Douglas Marillier looks certain to make his Test debut in place of Gavin Rennie, who managed just 13 in the first innings at Delhi and failed to score in the second.
Leg-spinner Brian Murphy, who returned 1-90 and 0-56 against the star-studded Indian batting, is likely to make way for seamer Travis Friend, who missed the first Test with a shoulder injury.
Zimbabwe's hopes of thwarting the Indians rest on seasoned left-hander Andy Flower, who made an unbeaten 183 and 70 in Delhi.
Likely teams:
India: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Shiv Das, Sadagopan Ramesh, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vijay Dahiya, Sunil Joshi, Sharandeep Singh, Javagal Srinath, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan.
Zimbabwe: Heath Streak (capt), Grant Flower, Douglas Marillier, Stuart Carlisle, Alistair Campbell, Andy Flower, Guy Whittall, Paul Strang, Bryan Strang, Travis Friend, Henry Olonga.
Mail Cricket Editor
