The Indian squad for the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka featuring three Tests would be selected on July 23 in New Delhi.
“The meeting is scheduled on the 23rd in Delhi,” a Cricket Board source informed PTI when queried about the scheduled date and venue of the meeting.
The full strength India squad, with Virat Kohli expected to be named as its captain, will be available for the tour, barring those who would be unavailable through injuries.
The tour is slated to start with a three-day warm-up game against Sri Lanka Chairman’s XI, from August 6-8 at the R Premadasa Stadium.
This would be followed by three Test matches with the games scheduled to be played at Galle (August 12-16), Tamil Union Oval (August 20-24) and SSC, Colombo (August 28 to September 1).
This would be India’s first visit to Lanka for a Test rubber after five years. The two countries split a three-Test rubber 1-1 in 2010 on India?s previous tour to the Emerald Isle
“By the time my injury was healed Ashwin had come into the team and did really well in that season”, said Harbhajan in an interview to BCCI.tv, “He understands the game very well. I am really happy he has done well for India and hope he continues doing so.”
Harbhajan also admits that it was Ashwin’s good form that delayed his comeback to the Test outfit. “The whole process of making a comeback becomes all the more difficult when the person replacing you is doing a good job,” he said.
The comeback would have been even more difficult for Harbhajan had Ravindra Jadeja not lost his venom after his shoulder surgery or had Pragyan Ojha not got hauled up for his ‘dicey’ action.
Since the retirement of MS Dhoni, India have turned a page in their Test match philosophy. The new captain wants to win every game, prefers five bowlers and opts for men who can pick him 20 wickets. Harbhajan, with 416 wickets in 102 Tests, fits into Kohli’s scheme perfectly. Not only does Kohli want the 35-year-old offie to get back to being a lethal wicket-taker, but also wants him to mentor the rest of the cast.
