Sajjad Hussain

Guwahati, Nov. 4: Assam Cricket Association (ACA) selectors today included Sajjad Hussain in the 14-member team that will take on Baroda in the state?s Ranji campaign opener here from November 7 to 10. Hussain finds a place in the squad as replacement for Subhrajit Saikia.

Formally announcing Saikia?s withdrawal from the first two ties, following his father?s demise in New Delhi on Tuesday, ACA secretary Bikash Baruah said the senior selectors met this evening to recommend Hussain as the substitute.

Hussain had been among the six reserves named along with the Ranji team last Friday by the selectors. ?It is now up to the team management to decide who will partner opener Parag Das,? Baruah said.

Still, the match being played on home turf, the selectors might have a final say in the selection of the playing XI to allow the team to concentrate solely on the game.

However, the task of the team management ? comprising manager Rupkamal Kakati, newly-appointed coach Dinesh Nanavati and captain Syed Zakaria Zuffri ? remains cut out.

With Hussain?s inclusion, they will now have to decide from among Hussain, comeback man Subhadeep Ghosh, Rajkumar Mritunjoy Gohain and rookies Chandan Rawat and Parvez Aziz. The last two are away playing the under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy in Calcutta where Rawat is leading the side.

Though he did not say it in as many words, team manager Kakati hinted that the choice was between experience and fresh blood. ?We will have to take into account the experience of Subhadeep Ghosh as well as the form of the others.?

Ghosh, a very good prospect when he first came into the team in the late ?90s but lost focus soon after, enjoys the advantage of experience. But the middle-order batsman will face tough competition from youngsters Aziz and Rawat.

Rawat especially stands a good chance of making his Ranji debut after scoring a crackling century against Sikkim yesterday and 85 against Tripura today in Calcutta. On the other hand, Aziz, besides being a promising batsman like Gohain, is also an effective spinner.

Hussain, given his not-so-inspiring performance in the past, may find it difficult to edge past the other three. The only argument in his favour or that of Gohain is that they have had few opportunities.

Incidentally, Rawat was today named the vice-captain of the East Zone under-19 team for the all India inter-zonal met to be played at Hyderabad from November 14. The team also includes medium pacer Abu Naschim Ahmed. Aziz was named one of the stand-bys.