Sourav with CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya at the Eden. Picture by Santosh Ghosh See Sport

Oct.1: Not a comeback, for Sourav Ganguly has been in the Test squad ever since his fantastic return at the Wanderers 22 months ago, but he has certainly come back virtually from the dead.

The former Team India captain is in the 15 for the first two of four Tests against Australia — in Bangalore (from October 9) and Mohali (October 17 onwards).

Sourav has, of course, rubbished talk that he’s in the squad after striking a deal with the board — specifically, that he’d be retained on condition that he will quit later this season.

That buzz, though, has been pretty strong.

“There’s absolutely no truth in what’s being said,” Sourav emphasised, somewhat irritated, when contacted by The Telegraph this evening.

The board, for its part, hasn’t reacted to speculation that Sourav is in probably because of an understanding with president Shashank Manohar (who interacted with the selectors before this afternoon’s meeting in Mumbai) or secretary N. Srinivasan.

Also apparently targeted by the board, so to say, at this stage are Test captain Anil Kumble and V.V.S. Laxman.

Getting back to Sourav….

Sourav had been ignored for the just-ended Irani Trophy and not called for the ongoing conditioning camp in Bangalore either. Strong pointers that he was out of favour, the fallout of a poor series in Sri Lanka.

The Irani Trophy selection, however, was made by the previous committee (headed by Dilip Vengsarkar). If the deal bit is discounted, the one constituted last Saturday chose not to be influenced by the acts of its predecessor.

In fact, according to sources, there actually wasn’t much of a debate over Sourav.

One understands Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Yashpal Sharma, Narendra Hirwani, Surendra Bhave and Raja Venkat, India’s first set of pro selectors, exchanged views informally before the meeting got under way at the Cricket Centre.

“The squad was more or less decided then itself…. Everybody felt the team (playing XI) had to be a tried and tested one and that the squad could include some without experience…. The Australians are the world champions and nobody felt the need to disturb a settled team,” a source said.

The source added: “Subramaniam Badrinath has replaced Rohit Sharma and Amit Mishra has got a call-up (with Pragyan Ojha going out)…. But that’s about it…. There’s no dramatic change in the squad…. Where the top players are concerned, the selectors opted for continuity…. If needed, there will be a full-fledged review before the third Test (in New Delhi, from October 29).”

According to another source, even if Team India coach Gary Kirsten and Kumble had expressed reservations over Sourav in the lead-up to the Irani Trophy selection, neither had anything negative to say today.

“There was no indication that they didn’t want Sourav around…. What was said earlier this month, if at all, is difficult to confirm,” the source stated.

As of now, the 11 in Bangalore should be: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Laxman, Sourav, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma.

As Sourav hasn’t played top-grade cricket after returning from Sri Lanka on August 12, he has been asked to turn out for India A in the four-day match versus New Zealand A, in Chennai, from Friday.

“I’m comfortable with that…. Match practice is always of great help… Today, all I want is to give my best on the park,” Sourav signed off.