Sourav Ganguly is back in the Indian Test team after ten months. The former India captain returns for the three-match series against South Africa, beginning December 15.
The selectors, who met in Delhi on Thursday, dropped Mohammad Kaif and Suresh Raina, who are in the team for the ongoing limited-overs' series, and stripped Virender Sehwag from vice-captaincy. Stylish Hyderabad batsman VVS Laxman has been named Rahul Dravid's deputy.
Zaheer Khan was also rewarded for a good showing in the one-day internationals with a Test berth.
The decision to recall Ganguly comes following a meeting of the selectors and Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sharad Pawar at the latter's residence in Delhi prior to the selection committee meeting.
The Bengal left-hander, who has had reasonable success in domestic matches this season, was expected to make the cut after the team's poor showing in the one-day international series, which it trails 0-3. He was included in place of the injured Yuvraj Singh.
Team: Rahul Dravid (captain), Wasim Jaffer, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wicketkeeper), VVS Laxman (vice-captain), Dinesh Kaarthick, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Munaf Patel, Irfan Pathan, VRV Singh, Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth.
Statistics:
| Batsman | Tests | Inns | NO | Runs | Hs | Ave | 100s | 50s | 0s | 90s | Ct | St |
| MS Dhoni | 13 | 20 | 1 | 602 | 148 | 31.68 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 9 |
| R Dravid | 104 | 176 | 22 | 9049 | 270 | 58.76 | 23 | 46 | 6 | 9 | 146 | 0 |
| G Gambhir | 13 | 21 | 2 | 684 | 139 | 36.00 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| S Ganguly | 88 | 140 | 12 | 5221 | 173 | 40.79 | 12 | 25 | 8 | 3 | 59 | 0 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 57 | 79 | 18 | 986 | 66 | 16.16 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| W Jaffer | 14 | 26 | 0 | 883 | 212 | 33.96 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| D Karthik | 10 | 13 | 0 | 245 | 93 | 18.85 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 4 |
| A Kumble | 110 | 140 | 27 | 2025 | 88 | 17.92 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 50 | 0 |
| VVS Laxman | 77 | 124 | 14 | 4698 | 281 | 42.71 | 10 | 25 | 9 | 2 | 81 | 0 |
| MM Patel | 6 | 7 | 2 | 32 | 13 | 6.40 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| I Pathan | 25 | 32 | 2 | 835 | 93 | 27.83 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
| V Sehwag | 49 | 81 | 3 | 4066 | 309 | 52.13 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 38 | 0 |
| VRV Singh | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2.00 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| S Sreesanth | 5 | 7 | 3 | 75 | 29 | 18.75 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| S Tendulkar | 132 | 211 | 22 | 10469 | 248 | 55.39 | 35 | 41 | 12 | 6 | 82 | 0 |
| Zaheer Khan | 42 | 54 | 14 | 507 | 75 | 12.68 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Bowler | Tests | Ovs | Mdns | Runs | Wkts | Best | 5WI | 10WM | Avg | SR | Eco |
| MS Dhoni | 13 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0-13 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 13.00 |
| R Dravid | 104 | 20 | 4 | 39 | 1 | 1-18 | 0 | 0 | 39.00 | 120.00 | 1.95 |
| S Ganguly | 88 | 419.2 | 84 | 1419 | 26 | 3-28 | 0 | 0 | 54.58 | 96.77 | 3.38 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 57 | 2526.6 | 521 | 7108 | 238 | 8-84 | 19 | 4 | 29.87 | 63.71 | 2.81 |
| W Jaffer | 14 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 2 | 2-18 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | 33.00 | 1.64 |
| A Kumble | 110 | 5815.2 | 1414 | 15329 | 533 | 10-74 | 33 | 8 | 28.76 | 65.46 | 2.64 |
| VVS Laxman | 77 | 42 | 10 | 100 | 1 | 1-32 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 | 252.00 | 2.38 |
| M Patel | 6 | 229 | 49 | 680 | 24 | 4-25 | 0 | 0 | 28.33 | 57.25 | 2.97 |
| I Pathan | 25 | 846.2 | 185 | 2802 | 91 | 7-59 | 7 | 2 | 30.79 | 55.80 | 3.31 |
| V Sehwag | 49 | 198.4 | 33 | 628 | 12 | 3-33 | 0 | 0 | 52.33 | 99.33 | 3.16 |
| VRV Singh | 2 | 47 | 7 | 158 | 2 | 2-61 | 0 | 0 | 79.00 | 141.00 | 3.36 |
| S Sreesanth S | 5 | 169.5 | 41 | 566 | 19 | 4-70 | 0 | 0 | 29.79 | 53.63 | 3.33 |
| S Tendulkar | 132 | 555 | 75 | 1893 | 37 | 3-10 | 0 | 0 | 51.16 | 90.00 | 3.41 |
| Zaheer Khan | 42 | 1326.5 | 266 | 4398 | 121 | 5-29 | 3 | 0 | 36.35 | 65.79 | 3.31 |
Note: Out of the 16 players named in the Indian Test squad, only 12 have played at least one Test against South Africa. Four players -- Dhoni, Munaf, V R V Singh and Sreesanth are yet to play against South Africa.
Only eight players have played a Test on South African soil before. Apart from the four mentioned above, Gambhir,Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik and Irfan Pathan are yet to make a Test appearance on South African soil.
Statistics: Rajneesh Gupta
