COLOMBO, July 25: The selection of the Indian players for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka was postponed on the insistence of the team manager, Prof Ratnakar Shetty.

The selection committee was to have met yesterday to name the two additional players for the Test series, and possibly more, by sending back home an equal number from the squad for the Asia Cup.

Indications are that Saba Karim and Noel David will be sent back after the Asia Cup and are likely to be replaced by Nayan Mongia and Rajesh Chauhan respectively. It's between Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman and Gagan Khoda for the opener's slot with Vinod Kambli taking the 16th slot. Venkatapathy Raju could also come in, should the selectors decide to send left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni home. Kulkarni is yet to play on the tour.

However, Prof Shetty impressed upon the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) bosses that naming the team at this juncture would be counter productive. He told them dropping players from the squad would affect their morale and India's chances as well, should they be picked for the final against Sri Lanka tomorrow.

The contention of the board was that they would require time to get the visas of the selected players and complete other administrative formalities. The Indian team manager, however, insisted to show compassion to the players and it was finally the intervention of the BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur which saw the postponement in the selection process.

India stay back after the Asia Cup to play a three-day match, followed by two Tests and three ODIs.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.