Pakistan's Inzamam to replace unfit Tendulkar for Super Test by AFP

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Player:

Inzamam-ul-Haq, SR Tendulkar

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DateLine: 23rd September 2005

 

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq will replace Indian superstar Sachin Tendulkar in the World squad to face Australia in a six-day Test match in Sydney next month, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Friday.

 

Inzamam, a surprising omission from the original squad, was selected when Tendulkar opted out of the inaugural Super Series after failing to recover from an elbow surgery.

 

Rahul Dravid of India will replace team-mate Tendulkar in the one-day squad, which also sees West Indian opener Chris Gayle come in for the injured Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa, the ICC said in a release.

 

The ICC-organised Super Series between Australia and the Rest of the World features three one-dayers at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne on October 5, 7 and 9 and a six-day Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground from October 14-19.

 

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, who heads the six-man selection committee for the World squads, said that the selectors were fortunate to have such stellar players waiting in the wings.

 

"Obviously we are disappointed that Sachin and Herschelle have been forced out with injury, but we have been able to call on three world class players to cover this loss," the ICC statement quoted Gavaskar as saying.

 

"Both Inzamam and Gayle were extremely close to making the original squads, so we were delighted to have an opportunity to bring these two great players into the World sides.

 

"To also be able to promote a player of Dravids quality from just the Test squad to both squads is a tremendous bonus."

 

Besides Gavaskar, the other selectors were Clive Lloyd of the West Indies, Richard Hadlee of New Zealand, Aravinda de Silva of Sri Lanka, Mike Atherton of England and Jonty Rhodes of South Africa.

 

Revised World squads:

 

Test: Graeme Smith (RSA-capt), Virender Sehwag (IND), Rahul Dravid (IND), Inzamam-ul Haq (PAK), Brian Lara (WIS), Jacques Kallis (RSA), Andrew Flintoff (ENG), Shaun Pollock (RSA), Mark Boucher (RSA), Steve Harmison (ENG), Shoaib Akhtar (PAK), Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI), Daniel Vettori (NZL).

 

One-dayers: Shaun Pollock (RSA-capt), Chris Gayle (WIS), Virender Sehwag (IND), Jacques Kallis (RSA), Brian Lara (WIS), Kevin Pietersen (ENG), Rahul Dravid (IND), Andrew Flintoff (ENG), Kumar Sangakkara (SRI), Shahid Afridi (PAK), Shoaib Akhtar (PAK), Makhaya Ntini (RSA), Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI), Daniel Vettori (NZL).

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)