Since India's triumph in the Under-19 World Cup last month, discussion has centred around whether the boys are ready to play in the big league. Senior cricketers like Ian Chappell have observed that some of them are good enough for the senior team, says a report in Hindustan Times, adding that the All India Senior Selection Committee has taken note of the winning show in Australia and picked three from the squad on Monday for the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy and the Irani Cup.
Mumbai left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh, in whom Chappell saw shades of Bishan Singh Bedi's game, was selected in the Rest of India squad and in the India 'B' team for the Challenger. Tamil Nadu all-rounder Baba Aparajith and Punjab medium pacer Sandeep Sharma were also rewarded for their good show and included in India 'B'.
With Jaipur ruled out as the Irani venue after rain damaged the pitch, the season-opener between Rest of India and Ranji champions Rajasthan will be played in Bangalore from September 21 to 25. The Challenger Trophy will feature Bengal, the 2011-12 Vijay Hazare Trophy winners, India 'A' and India 'B.' It will be played at Rajkot from September 29 to October 2.
Meanwhile a report in The Times Of India says that the Indian selectors sprang a number of surprises while picking the Rest of India squad (for the Irani Trophy) and India 'A' and India 'B' sides for the NKP Salve Challenger Trophy on Monday in Mumbai. “The biggest surprise is the inclusion of Udit Birla in the India 'A' squad. He has played merely six first-class matches for Madhya Pradesh and scored two half-centuries against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy last season,” says the report, adding that interestingly, Madhya Pradesh lost that match to Mumbai and the bowler, who wreaked havoc with a five-wicket haul, Dhawal Kulkarni, has failed to find a berth even in the two Challenger squads.
“Another surprise selection is Maharashtra's wicketkeeper-batsman Rohit Motwani in the India 'B' squad. He has been preferred to Parthiv Patel and under-19 World Cup star Smit Patel, both of Gujarat. While, the Rest of India squad has two wicketkeepers -- Dinesh Karthik and Wriddhiman Saha -- the selectors have picked no back-up keepers in the two Challenger squads. According to TOI sources, Karthik will play as a batsman in the Irani Trophy, while Saha, who has recovered from an injury, will keep wickets against Rajasthan in the Irani Trophy that has now been shifted to Bangalore. Smit, who shared a match-winning partnership with Unmukt Chand in the final of the U-19 WC against Australia, it seems, lost out narrowly to Karthik, who has been blessed with another chance,” says the report.
According to a report in Deccan Herald, the national selectors on Monday decided to reward rookie left-arm spinner Harmeet Singh for his fine performance in the U-19 World Cup by including him in both Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup as well as India ‘B’ squad for the Challenger Series.
Rest of India, led by Chesteshwar Pujara, will take on Ranji Trophy champions Rajasthan in Bangalore from September 21-25. While Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane would get quality practice ahead of long Test season, Ishant Sharma has also been named in the squad.
Young Harmeet may not get a chance in playing XI as more experienced Test star Pragyan Ojha is also there in the squad.
