The Board of Control for Cricket in India says the decision to send Murali Kartik to Australia was taken as an "abundant precaution" as Harbhajan Singh does not appear fully fit for the gruelling Test series.
"Kartik has been sent as a reinforcement and not as a replacement. He has been sent as an abundant precaution so that the team is not short of players in case of any emergency," BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya told newspersons in Kolkata on Thursday.
Pointing out that off-spinner Harbhajan Singh "does not look fit", he said the Board decided to send Kartik "so that the team does not find itself handicapped".
"It should not feel that there is no spinner left in case of an injury occurring to Harbhajan."
The Board president said it is not the first time that a player is being sent as reinforcement and cited the instance of Sarandeep Singh, who was sent as an additional member midway during India's tour of the West Indies.
Dalmiya, however, did not rule out the possibility of a replacement in the touring team, saying "whether Kartik will continue as an additional member or replace somebody will be decided within a day or two".
