Sehwag, Gambhir, Zaheer to play West Indies A

Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan have been picked to represent India A in two four-day games against West Indies A later this month. Gambhir and Zaheer were dropped from the Test side late last year, and Sehwag last played a Test in March. All three were ignored for subsequent A squads, but this call-up - coming just before the start of a fresh season - will give them hope for a national comeback. Also back in the fold was the 32-year-old Mohammad Kaif, who last played a Test in 2006.

These matches clash with the Champions League T20, which could have played a part in some or all of these selections. Missing from the India A four-day side that toured South Africa last month are M Vijay, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Shikhar Dhawan and Wriddhiman Saha, who will all be playing in the Champions League T20.

Yuvraj Singh, who was dropped for the Champions Trophy and the tri-series in the West Indies, was chosen to lead the one-day side against West Indies A, and also India Blue in the Challenger Trophy, the domestic season opener. Irfan Pathan was picked to lead India Red. Delhi are the third side in the tournament by the virtue of being defending Ranji Trophy one-day champions, and are expected to pick their team and coach soon.

Zaheer and Yuvraj have spent the time outside international cricket working on their fitness in France. Not picked for the A sides, Gambhir represented Essex in county cricket.

India A squad for the first four-day game: Cheteshwar Pujara (capt), Jiwanjot Singh, KL Rahul, Manpreet Juneja, Rajat Paliwal, Harshad Khadiwale, Parvez Rasool, Bhargav Bhatt, Ishwar Pandey, Mohammed Shami, Ashok Dinda, Rohit Motwani (wk), Dhawal Kulkarni, Paras Dogra

India A squad for the second and third four-day games: Cheteshwar Pujara (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Sheldon Jackson, Abhishek Nayar, Paras Dogra, Uday Kaul (wk), Parvez Rasool, Bhargav Bhatt, Dhawal Kulkarni, Zaheer Khan, Ishwar Pandey, Mohammed Shami, Mohammad Kaif

India A squad for the three 50-over games and one T20: Yuvraj Singh (capt), Unmukt Chand, Robin Uthappa, B Aparajith, Kedar Jadhav, Naman Ojha (wk), Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Jaydev Unadkat, Praveen Kumar, Sumit Narwal, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mandeep Singh, Rahul Sharma

India Red squad for the Challenger Trophy: Irfan Pathan (capt), Robin Uthappa, Abhinav Mukund, Saurabh Tiwary, Gurkeerat Mann, Kedar Jadhav, Smit Patel (wk), Yusuf Pathan, Shahbaz Nadeem, Abhimanyu Mithun, Umesh Yadav, Suraj Yadav

India Blue squad for the Challenger Trophy: Yuvraj Singh (capt), 2 Akshath Reddy, 3 Naman Ojha (wk), 4 Mandeep Singh, 5 Ankit Bawane, 6 Abhishek Nayar, 7 Manish Pandey, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Ankit Rajpoot, 10 Vinay Kumar, 11 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 12 Iresh Saxena

Indian cricket has reached a level where they have so many playing options to try and test. We have witnessed it recently when the squads for the SA A tour and Nz A tour were announced. It did not feature any player in common and it also facilitated to conduct the tournaments without any gap. Indian domestic season's start is colliding with the Champions League T20. But it did not stop the selectors in picking up the best possible squads. The selectors have been wise in timing the axing of the seniors when they were under performing. It makes it clear to the players that they have to be on the money irrespective of their stature. Just before the tours of SA and Nz which are really testing, they are giving the under performing players to prove their worth. Overall very happy with the bunch of players picked and the timing of their selection. But one thing I would like to add here is , not to play musical chairs when they have too many to choose from. Good Luck Cricket India. 

With Sachin set to retire in some time, India's middle order needs at least one experienced campaigner for 3-4 years. While youngsters are performing in ODIs, tests are different proposition altogether. Also whenever Sehwag comes back after being dropped he comes back a changed man. From 2008 to 2010 his record was beyond comparison.

Moving Sehwag into the middle order where he has batted for most of his career in Ranji can be a good move. Maybe at no. 5. He can take the bowlers to the cleaners in their tired state and really convert some draws into wins with his scoring rates. Also he'll get to face those spinners more who used to be like fodder to him at one time. It will be wrong to disturb the opening pair of Dhawan and Murli and they should be given a long run.