Calcutta: Not wanting to be caught on the wrong foot, should captain and wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni have a recurrence of back spasms at the 11th-hour, the national selectors broke with tradition to pick a second ’keeper for a Test at home.

Their play-safe approach worked out to Wriddhiman Saha’s advantage — he’s in the 15 for the first Test against South Africa, in Nagpur, from February 6.

Deep Dasgupta is the last wicket-keeper from Bengal to actually make the Test 11, not just the India squad. That was in 2001-02.

Dhoni, it may be recalled, had to opt out of the recent Test in Chittagong after being laid low by back spasms. The problem arose less than 24 hours before the toss and Dinesh Karthik benefited.

 

As with most others, Dhoni has, off and on, also been having “niggles.” That, perhaps, is only to be expected when so much cricket is played.

“Saha’s name was unanimously accepted... In a way, it’s a show of no-confidence towards Karthik, but don’t forget he has always been selected as a package — somebody who can open, bat in the middle-order and be the ’keeper... The selectors have gone for somebody who is a wicket-keeper first,” a well-placed source told The Telegraph.

In any case, Karthik (who made his India debut before Dhoni) would get chosen for tours, or get a call if the captain wasn’t available.

Whatever, East’s representative on the Krishnamachari Srikkanth-headed selection panel, Raja Venkat, must have played a significant hand in the hours leading up to Thursday’s meeting in Mumbai.

By the way, it’s not that the 25-year-old Saha cannot bat. He’s competent in front of the wickets, too.

Apparently, Srikkanth had a “general exchange of views” with coach Gary Kirsten on Wednesday and, then, the latter got back to the chief selector after having a chat with Dhoni.

The calls were made between Chennai and Dhaka.

Karnataka’s impact-making quick, Abhimanyu Mithun is the one wholly new face in the 15. Mithun had been brilliant in the Ranji final, against Mumbai, this month.

Former captain Rahul Dravid, meanwhile, didn’t get picked as he’s been advised three weeks rest.

Dravid, in fact, looks set to undergo surgery to “repair” the fractured left jaw bone. “The injury may heal on its own, but it has been suggested that surgery should be done... Otherwise, the risk of damage to the (left) eye is there,” the well-placed source added.

V.V.S. Laxman is in the squad, but Yuvraj Singh and Sreesanth aren’t. That both wouldn’t be selected, on grounds of fitness, had been reported in these columns.

Subramaniam Badrinath is in for Yuvraj; Mithun is Sreesanth’s replacement.

Sreesanth, who suffered a hamstring injury on the last day in Chittagong, is expected to recover in time for the second Test, in Calcutta, from February 14.

That’s the principal reason why Srikkanth and Co. chose the 15 for just the first Test.