Parthiv Patel to lead India in Emerging Players Tournament

Parthiv Patel, the Gujarat captain, will lead India's team in the Emerging Players Tournament in Australia in August. Cheteshwar Pujara, who finished as the highest run-getter in the recent A-team tri-series in England, has been appointed Parthiv's deputy. The four teams - South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and India - play two competitions - Twenty20 and 50-overs - during a two-week period.

Each of the 15 players selected in the squad participated in the IPL, and a significant number has played for India. Parthiv and legspinner Piyush Chawla have played Test cricket, while medium-pacer Vinay Kumar, offspinner R Ashwin, seamer Umesh Yadav and wicketkeeper Naman Ojha have had exposure in the ODI format. Among the players missing from the India A squad that toured England are batsmen Manoj Tiwary and Manish Pandey. Tiwary averaged only 19 in five limited-overs games, while Pandey 11 in as many.

The Emerging Players tour is an important opportunity for Saurabh Tiwary, the left-hand batsman who impressed in the IPL and had a successful Ranji Trophy, scoring thee centuries in the Plate League last season. He was picked in India's ODI squad for the Asia Cup while on tour to England with the A team, but didn't get a game.

Squad: Parthiv Patel (capt & wk), Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Saurabh Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Naman Ojha, Abhinav Mukund, Umesh Yadav, Jaidev Unadkat, Vinay Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jaskaran Singh, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin.