Ganguly requests Azhar to rest; to play Prasad

Ganguly requests Azhar to rest; to play Prasad
CHETAN KULKARNI

NAGPUR, MARCH 18: India has decided to include Venkatesh Prasad in the playing eleven for Sunday's Pepsi Cup One-day match against South Africa despite the paceman being included only for the Sharjah triangular series starting from March 22.

Captain Saurav Ganguly was not ready to accept the Sharjah theory when he faced the media after a work-out on Saturday evening. But Board secretary Jayawant Lele said: ``We had included him for the Sharjah Cup but since we have already won the series, there is nothing wrong if the captain wants to test Prasad ahead of the Sharjah tournament.''

``Following Ganguly's request, the chairman of the selection committee Chandu Borde, after the Vadodara match, allowed Prasad's inclusion,'' Lele added.

The team management decided to rest in-form Mohammed Azharuddin, Ajit Agarkar and Sunil Joshi for the game. ``Following our request, Azhar agreed to sit out in favour of a youngster,'' the Indian skipper said. There will be a toss-up between Mohammed Kaif and S Sriram but the latter seems to have a better chance of making his debut.

``I haven't seen Sriram bat but he scored well in domestic cricket. He is a good cricketer, bowls good left-arm spin and we need an all-rounder like him,'' said Ganguly.

South African skipper Hansie Cronje said: ``We were here to win the Test as well as One-day series but it didn't materialise due to our sloppy fielding, which is unlike the South Africans.''

``The absence of key players -- Allan Donald, Jonty Rhodes and Darryl Cullinan -- and injuries to Klusener, Hayward and Williams let us down,'' Cronje said.

Klusener, who has an ankle injury, will play but Cronje was not optimistic of `Zulu' bowling. ``Klusener would be fit by morning but we don't know if he can bowl 10 overs. (Henry) Williams may play on Sunday,'' he said.