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Prasad to keep wickets in first Test

Faisal Shariff

Manava Prasad will keep wickets for India in the first Test against Australia, beginning at the Adelaide Oval tomorrow.

The Indian team management decided not to risk including hurriedly-flown-in keeper Nayan Mongia as he hadn't had any match practise prior to the big match.

As expected, India will go into the match with only one specialist spinner in Anil Kumble. Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Ajit Agarkar and Debasish Mohanty are the other main bowlers named in the twelve, but it is likely that Agarkar will get preference over Mohanty in the final eleven because of his batting capablities.

Sources within the Indian camp said that Agarkar was selected after his good showing with the bat. With just three seam bowlers in the squad, deputy Saurav Ganguly has been asked to fill in as the fourth seam bowler, on a wicket which is hard and green.

"They have left a lot of grass on the wicket. There will surely be a lot of pace in it. Unlike the Sydney wicket, which was two paced, the Adelaide wicket seems to have even bounce. Australian wickets are soft on the first day and get harder on day two and three of the Test," he added.

Sachin is likely to bat at number five, with Laxman coming in at number four. Gandhi seems to be the only weak link in the batting line-up what with hardly any runs behind him.

The team (from):
Sadagopan Ramesh, Devang Gandhi, Rahul Dravid, V V S Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, M S K Prasad, Ajit Agarkar, Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble, Venkatesh Prasad, Debasish Mohanty(12th man).