Nothing drastic on the menu

Despite India exiting the Champions Trophy after a thumping loss to Australia, the national selection committee is unlikely to take any drastic decisions when it chooses the squad for the five-match one-day series against South Africa, starting on November 19.

Injuries to Yuvraj Singh and Ajit Agarkar have meant that both are all but ruled out of selection. The exact nature of both injuries is yet to be officially revealed and, barring a last-minute report clearing them of it, it's unlikely that they'll make the cut.

India are likely to go in with seven batsmen, five fast bowlers to aid them on the seamer-friendly tracks in South Africa and two spinners. That's assuming, of course, that they choose a 15-member squad. If it's 16, they might just want to take along a back-up wicketkeeper with Dinesh Karthik standing a good chance to fill the slot.

With the World Cup barely six months away, the selectors wouldn't be too keen on blooding newcomers at this stage, though names such as Tamil Nadu's Subramaniam Badrinath and Mumbai's Rohit Sharma - both middle-order batsmen - are likely to crop up as replacements for Yuvraj.

However, with Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Mongia and Suresh Raina in the current squad as back-up, it seems far-fetched for them to go in with a new face. Raina's form, though, remains a concern. He averaged just 15.44 in the last ten games including the Australia clash and his spot will no doubt come up for discussion.

There's a certain VVS Laxman waiting in the wings - nowhere close to Raina in the field but light years ahead on matchwinning ability - and he could well prove an asset on the sort of lively pitches expected in South Africa. His record in Australia speaks for itself (of the 16 ODIs there he's managed three hundreds at an average of 35) but whether he's part of the team plans remains the question.

The bowling is likely to be reinforced with two additional seamers - VRV Singh, who was adjudged Man of the Series in the Challenger Trophy, and Zaheer Khan, who followed up his impressive season with Worcestershire, with a good showing in the recent Duleep Trophy game against South Zone. After having been picked for this tournament ahead of Sreesanth, RP Singh got just one game - where he was pasted by the West Indies batsmen - and it remains to be seen if he gets another chance.

The spin department is the curious one. Harbhajan Singh picks himself but one wonders whether the selectors will persist with Ramesh Powar, who wasn't too effective on West Indian pitches and missed two of the three games in the Champions Trophy. The Anil Kumble option remains open yet again, now that he's recovered from his tendonitis and picked up eight wickets in the Duleep Trophy opener against West Zone. His name has been associated with selection for the World Cup and one would think it would be the right time to bring him back into one-day mode. But, as always, in these matters the five wise ones know best.