BARODA: Indian team coach Anshuman Gaekwad today took a diametrically opposite view from that of National selection committee chairman Kishan Rungta and said injured pace spearhead Javagal Srinath should be in the squad for the April 17-24 Sharjah triangular cricket series which will be picked at Kanpur on April 7.

"We expect Srinath to be in the squad for Sharjah with a cover in case he does not recover completely before the April 14 final of the current triangular series," was how Gaekwad replied when queried on the issue.

Rungta had issued a statement in jaipur two days back saying that Srinath may not make it to Sharjah because of a muscle pull just below the rib cage on the left side.

Dravid to lead

BANGALORE: Rahul Dravid will lead Karnataka against Hyderabad in the five-day Ranji Trophy semi-final match commencing at Hyderabad from April nine.

The team: Rahul Dravid (captain), J Arun Kumar, Sujith Somasundar, Fazal Khaleel, VijayBharadwaj, Sunil Joshi, Somashekar Shiraguppi (WK), DS Ananth, Anand Katti, D Ganesh, A Vijay, Mansoor Ali Khan, HT Girish Rao, P Srinivasa Murthy and K Sriram. Manager-cum-coach: B Raghunath.

Sunderam benefit

MUMBAI: Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin will lead a Rest of India team against Ranji champions Mumbai led by dashing batsman Sachin Tendulkar in a benefit match for former Rajasthan medium-pacer Pradeep Sunderam, to be held at the Wankhade Stadium here on April 28.

Organising secretary Prakash Kelkar said on Saturday that all the top Indian stars as well as the Mumbai players would be taking part in the 45-overs-a-side match to be called as the "Best (Mumbai) versus the Rest".