Kumble, Harbhajan sure for World Cup: Dravid by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter

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Player:

Harbhajan Singh, A Kumble, RS Dravid, RR Powar

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DateLine: 1st February 2007

 

Indian skipper Rahul Dravid on Tuesday virtually named Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh as the two spinners certain to make the World Cup squad and said off-spinner Ramesh Powar was competing for a spot with one of the pace bowlers. "It's good to see Anil Kumble back in action and his bowling together with Harbhajan Singh is crucial in the World Cup," Dravid said on the eve of India's fourth and final one-day international against the West Indies. "In them we have got two world class spinners to take care of even power play situations in the first 20 overs when most teams prefer to use pace bowlers. It (Kumble and Harbhajan bowling in power play situations) gives us an option, to play an extra batsman. It's an added incentive, a bonus for us," the captain said. However, Dravid said Powar was not ruled out for the World Cup, and the Mumbai off-spinner was in fact fighting for a spot in the team with one of the medium pacers and not the two senior spinners. "I am not ruling out anyone and Ramesh has done a very good job in the series. He's not competing for a place with two of the greatest slow bowlers, but with one of the seamers," said Dravid. "It's not who makes it to the squad which is important but how well the guys who are named in the squad perform which is important," he pointed out. "We have come close to choosing the squad of 15 from 17 or 18 players. We are pretty close to where we want to be. We want players who can adapt to different conditions and wickets and we are getting these kinds of players," said Dravid.