| Event: | Johnnie Walker Super Series 2005/06 |
DateLine: 9th May 2005
Indian captain Sourav Ganguly failed to make it to the International Cricket Council's initial Rest of the World squads announced for the Super Series in Australia later this year.
Ganguly, who has led his team to a record 19 Test wins, was not named in the squads of 30 each announced by chief selector Sunil Gavaskar because of a poor recent run in international cricket.
The ICC Rest of the World XI are scheduled to take on world champions Australia in three one-dayers (October 5, 7 and 9) in Melbourne and a six-day Test in Sydney (October 14 to 19) which have been accorded official status.
Pakistan, who drew a recent three-Test series in India 1-1 before winning a six-match one-day series 4-2, were rewarded as nine players found their way to either the Test or one-day squad.
Speedster Shoaib Akhtar, ignored for Pakistan's upcoming tour of the West Indies, was included in both squads along with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and seamer Naved-ul-Hasan.
A total of 21 players are common in both squads with India and South Africa having five each in both lists and seven in all for the Tests.
"The squads are packed with talented players from around the world who will pose a serious challenge to Australia's supremacy in both forms of the game," said Gavaskar, a former India skipper.
"It was incredibly difficult to confine our selections to just 30 players for each squad, but in the end and after much agonising and debate, the panel is confident that these are the best combinations of players for the challenge ahead.
"While statistics were a significant form guide, we placed more importance on our knowledge of the players, their ability to perform on the biggest stage and their character in taking on such hardened opponents as Australia," he said.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said the selectors were doing a good job.
"There is awesome depth to the batting strength of these squads, with players like Dravid, Lara, Laxman, Sehwag, Tendulkar and Vaughan all averaging over 50 in Tests against Australia," he said.
"It is also particularly exciting to see the names of a number of younger and emerging players recognised by the selectors.
"Players like Kevin Pietersen, Brendon McCullum, Andre Nel, Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi and Irfan Pathan have forced their way into the squads on the strength of outstanding performances over recent months," he said.
No player from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe or Kenya was picked.
The selection panel comprising Gavaskar, Mike Atherton, Richard Hadlee, Clive Lloyd, Jonty Rhodes and Aravinda de Silva will shortlist the squads to 20 each in July before announcing the final teams in August.
Initial Test squad: Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh, Venkatsai Laxman, Anil Kumble (IND); Andrew Flintoff, Michael Vaughan, Andrew Strauss, Steve Harmison (ENG); Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori (NZL); Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar, Naved-ul-Hasan, Younis Khan, Danish Kaneria (PAK); Mark Boucher, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock, Graeme Smith, Andre Nel (RSA); Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas (SRI); Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan (WIS).
Initial one-day squad: Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan, Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh (IND); Andrew Flintoff, Marcus Trescothick, Kevin Pietersen, Darren Gough (ENG); Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori (NZL); Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shoaib Akhtar, Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Yousuf Youhana (PAK); Mark Boucher, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Makhaya Ntini, Shaun Pollock (RSA); Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas (SRI); Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle (WIS).
(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)
