Srinath opts out of pre-season training camp

The Indian selectors have picked a list of 36 probables to train for two camps in Bangalore before the start of the domestic season. The three teams for the Challenger Trophy, to be held from September 10-14 in Bangalore, and the Rest of India team for the Irani Trophy, will be picked from this list. Javagal Srinath is conspicuous by his absence, having opted out citing injury. When asked, SK Nair, BCCI secretary, could not clarify what injury Srinath had sustained.

"We thought it was best to extend the facilities of training to all cricketers who will be taking part in the Challenger Trophy and the Irani Trophy," said Nair, to reporters at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. "With both one-day games and the longer version coming up, this is an ideal chance for players to prepare before the start of the season," he added.

The 36 probables will first attend a conditioning camp from August 14-26 and then return again from September 1-6 to practice. Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif, who are currently playing in the county circuit in England, have been given permission to join the camp on September 1.

Full list of probables
Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia, Parthiv Patel, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Sanjay Bangar, Shiv Sunder Das, Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer, Satyajit Parab, Hemang Badani, Sridharan Sriram, Rohan Gavaskar, Ambati Rayudu, Vijay Bharadwaj, Murali Kartik, Amit Mishra, Amit Bhandari, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Aavishkar Salvi, Irfan Pathan Jr, Mithun Manhas, Ajay Ratra, Thilak Naidu, VVS Laxman, Sairaj Bahutule, Ramesh Powar, Jai P Yadav, Reetinder Sodhi, Sarandeep Singh and Siddarth Trivedi.