Dravid Back in ODI Team for Champions Trophy


Chennai, Aug 16 (IANS): Former India captain Rahul Dravid expectedly made a return to the one-day squad while Virender Sehwag, who is recuperating from a shoulder injury, was not considered in the 15-member squad announced Sunday for next month's tri-series in Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy in South Africa.

The national selection committee-headed by chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth met here Sunday in the presence of skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and decided to pick one squad for both the tournaments.

The tri-series, which involves New Zealand as the third team, will be played from Sep 8-14 and will be folowed by the Champions Trophy from Sep 22 to Oct 5 in South Africa.

Five players, Rohit Sharma, Subramaniam Badrinath, Ravindra Jadeja, Murali Vijay and Pragyan Ojha, who were a part of the team that won the series in the West Indies, failed to retain their place in the side.

Dravid, whose last ODI was in October 2007, comes into the side after the susceptibility of the middle-order against short-pitched deliveries was exposed in the World Twenyy20 and the series in the West Indies.

The selectors didn't take the risk of including Sehwag in the side as he is yet to recover from the surgery.

Sachin Tendulkar, who opted out of the West Indies series, makes a comeback while middle-order bastman Suresh Raina, who also missed the series due to a broken thumb, was also included.

Leg-spinner Amit Mishra also comes back to the side replacing Pragyan Ojha on the back of his impressive showings in the IPL and the Emerging Players Tournament in Australia. Dinesh Karthik, who was included as a last minute replacement for Sehwag in the World Twenty20, and Abhishek Nayar retained their places.

The squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh (vice-captain), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Dinesh Karthik, Yusuf Pathan, Abhishek Nayar, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Ishant Sharma, Rudra Pratap Singh, Praveen Kumar and Ashish Nehra.

  

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  • ANI, ULLAL, MANGALORE

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    No doubt - Rahul Dravid is a great player but every one has a time and era. It is time for a youngster to join the Team India and time for Dravid to say good by Team India. Freinds,,,,,,,I always get a feeling that Vengsarkar was and is always against Dravid......

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  • Ronald Olivera, Padukone

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Gladson Mangalore/Qatar, you have snatched the words from my mouth. Thomas Pascal Andrade seems to be a fan of Vengsarkar, who called Dravid (who is otherwise known as ''The Wall'', ''Mr. Dependable'') a one dimensional player who does not add any value to the shorter version of the game. Strangely enough, people like Vengsarkar and even our friend Pascal realized it, after he scored 10,585 runs in 333 ODIs he has played at an average of 39.49 and a score rate of 71.22 with 12 centuries and 81 half centuries. I am sure these gentlemen will call Sehwag and Yuvaraj as better ODI players than Dravid, without realizing that their averages are 34.33 and 37.73 respectively, which is far lower than that of Rahul Dravid.

    Yes, their score rates are bit higher and that is only because they have a different roles to play in the ODI team. Rahul Dravid was always asked to play an anchor role and the other hitters were supposed to build the innings around him. Also one should not forget that Dravid has played fast when it was required and won several matches for India. At the end, it is surprising to see, if Dhoni make 50 runs in 70 balls (which he has done many times) people call it a great innings, while if the same is done by Dravid he is only fit to play in Test cricket.

    I am not claiming that Dravid will do miracles this time around, but all I want to stress is before writing anything please check the statistics. Good luck Dravid...as always let your bat do all the talking. God bless. R. Olivera, Padukone

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  • Jameel, Mangalore

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Great to hear the news of Dravid''s inclusion in the one day squad. he is one of the greatest consistant performer in the Indian team.

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  • Gladson, Mangalore/Qatar

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Mr Thomas Paschal Andrade...your comments seems to be funny and generating from your lack of knowledge of cricket. Your state Dravid as test batsmen, conveniently forgeting that he has over 10,000 runs with a very good average of 40.00 and strike rate of over 75...In one-dayers an average above 35 is considered good and he averages 40.00 even now.

    India''s younger batsmen should learn a lot from this gentleman both on and off field. His technique is second to none. Indian batsmen were clueless against short balls in the recently-concluded Twenty20 world cup as well as West Indies series. Keep in mind that champions trophy is in South Africa which has bouncy pitches... Dravid was just out of form for 4-5 matches when he was taken out of the one-day team. It had to do more with Dhoni''s attitude towards seniors than cricketing genius.

    Dhoni''s honeymoon is gradually getting over and or''s too know well that they cannot persist with the same team for long. That is why even Nehra has been called. Dhoni''s form itself is matter of concern both in front and back of the wickets. But it had been forgotten because India was getting results. Now that even results have deserted him, ors had to make decision.

    Team India cannot go on Dhoni whimps and fancies. For me even today he is poor captain who is absolutely cluless when situation is tough. But mind you. He is purely lucky and that is why he got the results. His captaincy skills were quite well demostrated in Twenty20 and West Indies...it''s the time for us Indians to live reality and not in Alice in Wonderland perhaps

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  • Neville Pereira, Mangalore/Dubai

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Welcome Back Rahul.. One should Laways know that Form is temporary. class is permanent.. Its good to see u back after the Distastrous show by the Middle Order in The world Cup.. We lacked metal.. All de very best !!

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  • Sandeep shetty, Sharjah

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Nice to see him in indian team.He is one of great palyer for indian team.

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  • Rajesh , Mangalore

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Welcome back Rahul to Indian cricket Team. I heard that Dhoni made all efforts to stall Dravids inclusion in the team. Doni''s attitude towards seniors is disgusting & condemnable. He should first porve his mettle by scoring runs beforing taking on seniors who have toiled hard and have been responsible for so many success of indian team. Flamboyance will not take you anywhere as your record is very poor as of now doni.

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  • sukesh shetty, muggeri/ baharain

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Welcome back great wall of Indian team

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  • herald dsouza, pangla/london

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Nice to see u in the team ruhal , I am sure u will do very well, all the best.

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  • lancy pinto, chickmangalore/dubai

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Welcome back ...really he was a great player .  Thanks for Idian cricket team

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  • jp kudroli, mangalore

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Welcome back....Dravid, let God give you strength and courage to do good batting for India

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  • Thomas Pascal Andrade, Valencia / Toronto

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Does Team India really need Raul Dravid to play in ODI matches? He is good only for the test matches where he can either win or draw the matches from his dogged innings. Raul is a spent force for ODI, definitely not a fit candidate for the shorter version of the game, where they need young blood who can make quick runs. Did Team-India not find any better players who shone in the recently held IPL?

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  • Thomas Dsouza, Gorigudda/Israel

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Welcome back Rahul.Wish you Good luck.

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  • DEEPAK.KOTIAN, HEJAMADY (ABUDHABI)

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Welcome to rahul dravid he is my favourite player.no one should not forget like these kind of players like sachin,sewhag,laxman.these players are match wining players.if once they set it is very difficult to get them out.rahul has to keep the run going on not to waste too many balls.good luck rahul.this is the last oppurtunity for you.play how much you can.........

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  • Ganesh.G.S, Mangalore/Singapore

    Sun, Aug 16 2009

    Thank god....he is a backbone of indian cricket team.

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  • Shanthi Miranda, Polali/Mumbai

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Hearty welcome! u really deserved to be in Indian Team. Wish u all the Best!!!

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  • Deepak, Mangalore

    Mon, Aug 17 2009

    Much needed !! whether he bat or doesn''t , but having a player like this is always point.

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  • henry MISQUITH, MANGALORE/BAHRAIN

    Sun, Aug 16 2009

    Welcome back....really he was a great player, no doubt...I hope he will do the good.

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  • Benzil, mangalore/Saudi

    Sun, Aug 16 2009

    Nice to see him back in team.... hope he do well.... he is a class of indian cricket

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