Kolkata, Feb 29: The national selectors are likely to look for a suitable replacement for injured off-spinner Harbhajan Singh when they meet in Kolkata on Monday to choose the Indian squad for the five match one-day series in Pakistan next month.
With Harbhajan ruled out of the historic tour following a niggling middle finger injury, the quintet in the selection panel have to finalise their choice from among a host of slow bowlers in the periphery who have been doing well in the domestic tournaments.
Railways' Kulamani Parida, Ramesh Powar of Mumbai, Delhi offie Sarandeep Singh, Sourasish Lahiri of Bengal and Sairaj Bahutule seem to have emerged as the likely contenders for the vacant slot.

However, cricketing circles feel that the selectors may also decide to go with one spinner, and in that case veteran leggie Anil Kumble — who was in fine form in the recent Aussie tour — would be the obvious choice, provided he submits the fitness certificate to the board.

India would embark on the historic 40-day tour of the neighbouring nation on March 10 to play the one-dayers followed by three Tests, the team for which would be announced later.

The one dayers would be played in Karachi (March 13), Rawalpindi (March 16), Peshawar (March 19) and Lahore (March 21 and 24).

It will be interesting to see whether the selectors continue to repose faith in teenage stumper Parthiv Patel, whose performance Down Under has caused quite a few frowns.

Though it looks certain that dependable batsman Rahul Dravid would again be asked to double up as the first choice behind the wickets for the limited over matches, Patel and Ajay Ratra are likely to fight it out for a probable second stumper's slot.

With middle order bat Mohammad Kaif, who missed the trip to Kangarooland following an injury, already submitting a fitness certificate to the board, the selectors also need to decide whether to include the Uttar Pradesh player or continue with Bengal's Rohan Gavaskar.
In the bowling department, the inclusion of paceman Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra would be a foregone conclusion once they submit the fitness certificates to the BCCI before the selection panel, led by SMH Kirmani, meeting on Monday.

However, even if they are selected, both the pacers as also Kaif and Kumble would have to clear a fitness test ahead of the three-day conditioning camp here from March seven before they get the final green signal to set foot on Pakistan soil.

On the other hand, little doubt exist over the inclusion of young fast bowlers Irfan Pathan and Laxmipathy Balaji, who gave a good account of themselves in Australia, drawing lavish praise from skipper Sourav Ganguly.

Bureau Report