Dravid to lead India against Sri Lanka, Proteas

NEW DELHI—Indian Cricket selectors Thursday appointed Rahul Dravid as Captain for the coming limited-over series against Sri Lanka and South Africa. The selectors did not want to take a chance with longtime skipper Sourav Ganguly following his elbow injury that forced him to skip a domestic one-day trial match this week. Dravid, 32, has earlier led India in five tests and 17 one-dayers when Ganguly missed matches. Ganguly, whose reign as national skipper lasted five years, holds the Indian record for most victories in Tests and One-Dayers.
Under Ganguly’s captaincy, India won 21 Tests and 76 One-Dayers, but his leadership came under a cloud due to poor batting form and a public dispute with Coach Greg Chappell. Coming in the wake of India’s loss to New Zealand in the final of a limited-over tri-series in Zimbabwe, Ganguly’s injury ruined the chances that he would be retained as skipper. He needs to prove his fitness before forcing his way back in the squad. Dravid too missed the trial games in the northern Indian town of Mohali, but that was because he was representing the World XI in the Super Series against Australia, the world’s top-ranked team both in one-dayers and tests.
Earlier, The Hindustan Times predicted a longer reign for the 32-year-old Dravid, possibly till the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, as Ganguly struggles with injury, poor batting form and a damaging spat with coach Greg Chappell. Ganguly, whose 21 Test and 76 one-day wins as captain is an Indian record, has missed the ongoing domestic one-day trial matches here due to a tennis elbow injury. With India due to play five more one-dayers against South Africa in November before hosting Sri Lanka again for three Tests in December, the selectors clearly do not want to take chances with an uncertain Ganguly at the helm.—Agencies