Mumbai: Harbhajan Singh's omission from the ODI team for the
first three matches against West Indies is perhaps an indication that
the off-spinner will not be on the plane to Australia next month.
The
selectors, who will pick the squad for the tour Down Under on Saturday,
will find it difficult to fit him in, more so after Ravichandran
Ashwin's all-round showing in the ongoing third Test.
The
only thing that can go in Harbhajan's favour is his knack of getting
under the skin of Australians and his record against them. But his
figures in domestic cricket seem to go against him. Including Harbhajan
means taking two off-spinners and leaving out in-form left-arm Pragyan
Ojha.
In any case, three spinners in the squad for Australia will
be too much of a luxury as they will have to carry an extra pacer. They
would definitely be wiser after the England tour when injuries forced
them to rush bowlers calling them from a holiday.
As for the fast
bowlers, Zaheer Khan will be a provisional selection as he has to prove
his fitness in the two Ranji Trophy matches he intends to play and also
the two warm-up matches in Canberra.
If either Harbhajan or
another paceman has to be accommodated then it has to be a 17-member
squad and there is a possibility of it consedring it is a long tour of
four Tests, two Twenty20s and a tri-series involving India, Australia
and Sri Lanka.
