Retired Srinath Back for Windies Series

Sun, Sep 29, '02

Javagal Srinath will return to test match cricket just four months after retiring in India's home series against the West Indies next month.

Indian captain Saurav Ganguly confirmed to SkySports that Srinath, who has taken more than 200 test wickets, will lead his attack again in the series against Carl Hooper's side. The veteran pacemen, who has been working as a Sky Sports pundit, has already answered India's SOS after Ashish Nehra's injury and will face Sri Lanka in Sunday's ICC Champions Trophy final.

"He is going to play (tests) again," Ganguly said when asked whether the bowler was willing to make a test return in the home series. He has told (chief selector) Brijesh Patel, he has told us," Ganguly said.

Srinath retired abruptly from test cricket in June at the end of a Caribbean tour, intending to concentrate on one-day cricket in the build-up for next year's World Cup.

But he was omitted from both the NatWest Trophy Series and the ICC Champions Trophy until Nehra's injury on Wednesday. Ganguly added: "I have always told him we need you to play test matches. I think he has done fantastically well for Leicester."

"We badly needed him in England and were disappointed he backed out. But that's past and he has been a true performer for India. Now that he has changed his mind we are happy with that."

Srinath has taken 276 wickets in one-dayers, at an average of 28.78, and 232 victims in his 64 tests.