the Indian selectors want to have a genuine opener as a replacement for the injured Virender Sehwag for the four-match ODI series against the West Indies
After Rohit Sharma flattered to deceive as an opener in the big games of the Super Eights in the ICC World Twenty20, the Indian selectors want to have a genuine opener as a replacement for the injured Virender Sehwag for the four-match ODI series against the West Indies.
The Indian squad for the Caribbean series starting June 26 will be picked today.
Sharma started impressively as an opener but failed against West Indies and England as India were knocked out in the Super Eights stage. Young Mumbai opener Ajinkya Rahane has a good chance of grabbing the opener's slot. Tamil Nadu's Murali Vijay is the other name the selectors are considering, it is learnt.
Along with Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan is also likely to beu00a0 rested. The certainties are: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Pragyan Ojha, RP Singh, Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma.
Dinesh Karthik may be fitted in as a third opener, middle-order batsman or second wicketkeeper. As for the replacement of Zaheer, it will be a toss-up between Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel and Dhaval Kulkarni. Irfan Pathan is unlikely to make the cut.
India play four ODIs against West Indies with two games being scheduled in Jamaica (June 26 and 28) and two in St Lucia (July 3 and 5).
