Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly said on Wednesday that the triangular series in Bangladesh will be "a good challenge" for his young wards considering the strength of main rivals South Africa.
Ganguly also said the team would miss the services of physiotherapist Andrew Leipus during the tri-series starting in Dhaka on Friday. "It will be hot there so we needed a physio," he said.
Leipus was slated to accompany the team, but was forced to change his plan after his wife met with an accident in Johannesburg, South Africa. Physical trainer Adrian le Roux will double up as the physio now.
Ganguly, who was speaking to reporters in Kolkata minutes before emplaning for Dhaka, said the triangular tournament will offer a lot of opportunities to the many youngsters in both the Indian and South African teams.
The 15-member Indian squad, sans several big names, fields new faces in pace bowler Avishkar Salvi, batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Abhijit Kale, and legspinner Amit Mishra while offspinner Sarandeep Singh has been recalled after a fairly long gap.
Ganguly said that despite all the matches of the tournament being day-night affairs, heat and humidity would be crucial factors. "But that will not affect us that much as we are used to such conditions," he added.
Asked about his back problem, the skipper said he was struggling with it. "But, somehow it is okay with me."
Ganguly had initially expressed the desire to skip the tournament to recuperate from the back problem, but changed his decision following a request from Jagmohan Dalmiya, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
The stylish lefthander, who will be accompanied by wife Dona and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Sana in Bangladesh, said the batting order of the team was yet to be finalised. While vice-captain Virender Sehwag will open the innings, his partner is yet to be decided.
"Let us see how it goes," said Ganguly. "Sehwag's opening partner will depend on conditions there."
Ganguly said he did not think the mantle of vice-captaincy would put additional pressure on Sehwag, a free-wheeling stroke-maker. "Sehwag should play the way he plays," he said.
On whether players like Yuvraj Singh would have to take some additional responsibility with a number of seniors opting out, the captain retorted, "Why only Yuvraj? All of us will have to shoulder the responsibility."
Asked about newcomers like Salvi and Gambhir, the skipper said he had neither seen nor spoken to them as yet. "I read about Salvi's exploit with the leather in the West Indies," he said. "That impressed me and I wanted him in the team."
The 21-year-old Mumbai speedster was a member of the India 'A' side that participated in the domestic tournament in the Caribbeans recently and finished as the highest Indian wicket-taker with 31 scalps.
Commenting on the composition of the side, team manager Goutam Dasgupta said, "It is a good blend of youth and experience and should do well."
The team boarded a Bangladesh Biman flight from the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose international airport at 1100 IST.
