Dravid dropped, Sehwag recalled

Selectors feel the former India skipper, going through a lean patch, needs a "break", reports Abhijeet Kulkarni.

Indian selectors on Saturday dropped Rahul Dravid from the 15-member squad for the first two cricket ODIs against Pakistan.

HT Image

The selectors felt the former India skipper, going through a lean one-day patch (he scored 51 runs in six games against Australia), needed a “break”. He could easily return after “regaining his form and fitness”, they said. Selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar did not elaborate on the “regain his form and fitness” comment. “Everyone has to work on their fitness,” was what he said.

And Virender Sehwag has been recalled. The opener was dropped after the ODI series in Bangladesh this summer. “Sehwag has been playing well and even made a good score here,” said Vengsarkar.

Sehwag scored 75 half an hour before the selection meeting on the sidelines of the Challenger Series here. But at India's World Twenty20 outing, he had only 133 in six games (five innings) at 26.6.

Gautam Gambhir makes a comeback; Dinesh Karthik exits. Praveen Kumar is the lone new face in the squad.

There are strong indications that Sachin Tendulkar may be named captain for the Test series.