Rahul wanted to play

Rahul Dravid, who fractured his jaw during his 111 in the second Test against Bangladesh, had made himself available for the upcoming two Tests against South Africa, but the selectors decided to give him some rest as doctors felt it is better not to play him at the moment. “Dravid was very keen to play but the doctors have advised him to rest as a precaution,” chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth said, after the selection committee meeting here Thursday to pick the squads for the first Test and the Board President’s XI match that precedes the Test. A statement issued by the Board of Control for Cricket in India confirmed that Dravid had been advised three weeks’ rest, more or less ruling him out of the second Test as well. “We have selected the best possible team considering the number of injuries the team has had. This team is just for the first Test. We’ll decide on the team for the second Test after getting a fitness update (on the injured players),” Srikkanth said. The World Cup winning former opener e xpressed faith in rookie Karnataka pacer Abhimanyu Mithun, who has so far picked up 50 wickets in 10 first-class matches this season (including the ongoing Duleep Trophy tie between South Zone and Central in Indore). “He (Mithun) has done well in domestic cricket and we needed a fast bowler (after the injury to Sreesanth). That’s why we picked him,” Srikkanth said. On the inclusion of Wriddhiman Saha, the former India captain said the Bengal wicket-keeper-batsman was a cover for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has been carrying niggles of late. “Dhoni had a few niggles during the Bangladesh tour and that’s why he missed the first Test. “Even in the one-dayers, he had a few problems with his fitness, so we have included Saha as a back up. If Dhoni is unavailable (for the first Test), Saha will replace him,” he said.

Source: www.telegraphindia.com/1100129/jsp/sports/story_12041714.jsp