Spin bowlers Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik are set to regain their Test spots after a considerable gap when the national selectors pick the Indian squad for the first two ties of the best-of-three rubber against Pakistan here on Wednesday.
Also set to be named in the squad, to be captained by veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble, are stylish middle order batsman VVS Laxman and Test openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Kaarthick.
It remains to be seen whether Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan too get a recall to the longest form of the game.
Sehwag was ignored following his dismal show in the three-Test rubber against South Africa in which he aggregated just 53 runs in six innings. Harbhajan, the 57-Test-old off-spinner with 238 wickets in his bag, last played in a Test 11 in April-May 2006. He has already recaptured his one-day slot and has shown very impressive form in the 50-over format at home in the last two series.
Kartik’s absence from the Test rankings has been longer. The left-arm spinner, who has played only eight Tests since his debut in 1999-2000, last figured in the final 11 against South Africa at Kanpur in 2004-05.
The Railways bowler’s improved performance in the one-day format since his recall out of the blue against Australia in the previous home series merits a comeback, especially in home conditions. However, he may not make the playing eleven in the presence of Kumble and Harbhajan.
Test specialist Laxman and former captain Rahul Dravid would lend meat to the packed middle order. Left-handed Yuvraj Singh may have to wait for his chances to get into the playing 11 with so many other stalwarts ready to occupy the middle-order slots. But his presence would obviously put extra pressure on Laxman and Ganguly to perform.
The dark horse seems to be Sehwag with his great Test record, mainly as an opener, against Pakistan.