Laxman to lead Rest of India in Irani Trophy

Hyderabad batsman VVS Laxman, who missed the Standard Bank tri-series in South Africa due to a knee injury, has an opportunity for match practice ahead of the Test series when he captains the Rest of India team against Ranji Trophy winners Baroda at Pune from October 12 to 16.

Laxman, who has already submitted a fitness certificate to the Board, leads a side packed with youngsters picked, according to selection committee chief Chandu Borde, with a view towards long-term planning. "Most of the players we have selected are in their early 20s so that we can have a strong second string as replacements when the situation arises," he said.

Haryana wicket keeper Ajay Ratra, Mumbai opener Vinayak Mane and Railways batsman Yere Goud are some of the youngsters to benefit from this selection policy of the Board. Apart from Laxman, Maharashtra all-rounder Hrishikesh Kanitkar, Orissa's Debasish Mohanty, Delhi's Rahul Sanghvi, and Sharandeep Singh and Dinesh Mongia from Punjab are the experienced members in the squad.

Rest of India: VVS Laxman (Captain-Hyderabad), Akash Chopra and Rahul Sanghvi (both from Delhi), Dinesh Mongia and Sarandeep Singh (both from Punjab), Vinayak Mane (Mumbai), Yere Goud (Railways), Hrishikesh Kanitkar (Maharashtra), R Parida and D Mohanty (both from Orissa), Ajay Ratra (Haryana), S Srivastava (Uttar Pradesh), T Yohannan (Kerala), Surender Singh (Jammu and Kashmir)