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Jadeja to lead team to Nairobi

Ajay Jadeja will lead the Indian cricket team for the four-nation tournament in Nairobi, Kenya, from 25 September to 3 October.

Youngsters Mohammad Kaif and Vijay Bhardwaj, who are doing duty with the India 'A' team in Los Angeles, have been included in the 14-member squad at the expense of Amay Khurasia, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Vinod Kambli, who were in the team for the Toronto tournament.

The team, which will leave for Nairobi on September 22, comprises three medium fast bowlers, three spinners, one wicketkeeper and seven batsmen.

Briefing mediapersons in Baroda after the selection committee meeting, Ajit Wadekar, chairman of selectors, said both Kaif and Bhardwaj had given good performances in domestic tournaments.

Kaif is only 19 years old and was a member of the Indian team for the 1998 junior World Cup in South Africa. A good batsman, he made his first class debut only last season, representing Uttar Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy.

Bhardwaj (24) has also excelled with the bat since making his first class debut for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy during the 1994-95 season.

Saurav Ganguly, the stand-in captain for the Toronto tourney, has been named Jadeja's deputy.

Anshuman Gaekwad will be the coach though his term is supposed to end on September 22.

The team manager and the new selection committee will be named at the annual general body meeting (AGM) on September 21at Jaipur.

When asked why Nayan Mongia, who had submitted a fitness certificate to the board, wasn't included, Wadekar said: "M S K Prasad had given an excellent performance in the Toronto tournament, and one who is doing good job can not be dropped suddenly."

Wadekar also praised the showing of Jacob Martin and said "his future is bright".

Dwelling on the fitness of the players Wadekar said, "Actually players need at least two-months' complete rest and regular exercise and that is the reason why Javagal Srinath had asked to be rested."

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) general secretary J Y Lele disclosed that the contract for television rights is yet to be signed.

The team:
Ajay Jadeja (captain), Saurav Ganguly (vice-captain), Saddagopan Ramesh, Rahul Dravid, Jacob Martin, Robin Singh, Mohammad Kaif, M S K Prasad, Nikhil Chopra, Sunil Joshi, Vijay Bhardwaj, Venkatesh Prasad, Debashish Mohanty and Laxmi Ratan Shukla.

The tournament fixtures:
25 September: Kenya v Zimbabwe
26 September: South Africa v India
28 September: South Africa v Zimbabwe
29 September: Kenya v India
30 September: Kenya v South Africa
01 October: India v Zimbabwe
03 October: Final

UNI