da dobrowin： Robin Singh is to lead the India B team in the Hero Honda NKP SalveChallenger Series, to be played in Chennai from February 12 to 15
Santhosh S10-Feb-2001Robin Singh is to lead the India B team in the Hero Honda NKP SalveChallenger Series, to be played in Chennai from February 12 to 15.According to Chandu Borde, the chairman of the selection committee,”Tendulkar will contribute as a player and as he has alwaysmaintained, he does not wish to lead. Robin Singh’s vast internationalexperience as well as the fact that he has been the captain of TamilNadu for a long time was the main factors in choosing him over theothers”. The selectors did discuss about other possible candidates,including Punjab captain Vikram Rathour, who will be keeping wicketsfor India B.At the conditioning camp at the IIT-Chemplast ground on Saturday, theplayers were put through an intensive fielding session, followed bysome open nets. The probables took to the field to play an impromptumatch under the watchful eyes of the coach John Wright. Borde who didthe umpiring, helped himself to a “closer look” at the probables.Left-arm spinner Venkatpathy Raju was giving it all, diving to hisleft and right. Nayan Mongia who kept the wickets with his usual élan,had a nice outing with the bat too, possibly bettering his chance of arecall into the national side.Interestingly enough, former India leg spinner from Tamil Nadu, LSivaramakrishnan received a call from the Indian camp last evening andwas at the nets, bowling to Tendulkar. It may be recalled that justprior to the visit of the Australians in 1998, Tendulkar had made asimiliar request so that he could gain valuable practice and work outa strategy in tackling Shane Warne.The physiotherapist of the national team Andrew Leipus, spoke to thepress for a brief time. He is more than happy with the fitness levelsof the ‘core India’ players. He sounded bit apprehensive about thenewcomers who are not familiar with the training regime.Leipus sounded positive about Kumble’s recovery. “Kumble should be fitto play in another four to six months time. He is doing a lot ofhydrobics, which is basically swimming and exercise in the pool totone up the shoulder muscle”.