Ganguly ignored again, Yo Mahesh in 'Rest of India' squad

Chennai, Oct 4 (UNI) Sourav Ganguly once again failed to get the selectors' nod even as Tamil Nadu medium pacer Yo Mahesh was picked for the 'Rest of India' team to take on Ranji Champions Uttar Pradesh in the Irani Trophy to be held at Nagpur from October 9.

Announcing the team to be led by Mumbai Opener Wasim Jaffer, after the first meeting of the new selection committee, Chairman and former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar and BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said Yo Mahesh was an exceptional talent.

However, Ganguly, whose lean run with the bat continued in the ongoing Challenger Series also, did not find a place.

''We discussed Sourav. Doors are not shut on anybody,'' Vengsarkar said adding that the former captain still had a chance of coming back into the national side if he scored well in the forthcoming domestic tournaments.

On the omission of Laxman, Vengsarkar said ''his name was not discussed. He is unfit.'' Vengsarkar said the Rest of India team was picked on the basis of form and fitness of the players in the Challenger series.

Asked about Tamil Nadu mediumpacer Laxmipathy Balaji's comeback after injury, he said his name was discussed and he would be picked based on his performance in the zonal matches.

Vengsarkar reiterated that the quota system would not exist.

''Absolutely, I can't say about the past. But now it will not be there,'' he said.

Asked how the first meeting of the new selectors went, Vengsarakar said they had excellent discussions.

''It was a very good meeting,'' he claimed.

Following is the Rest of India team: Wasim Jaffer (captain), Robin Uthappa, S Badrinath, Y Venugopala Rao, Gautam Gambhir, S Sreeshanth, Dinesh Kaartick (wk), V R V Singh, Saurasish Lahiri, Zaheer Khan, Rohit Sharma, Yo Mahesh, Murali Kartik, P Ojha.

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