Ishant or Pawar in line for a debut: Dravid

Dhaka, May 24 (UNI) Rookie pacer Ishant Sharma and offie Rajesh Pawar have been included in the first twelve, while Yuvraj Singh and VVS Laxman will continue to warm the benches for the second Test against Bangladesh beginning here tomorrow.

Announcing the final twelve, skipper Rahul Dravid said today that VRV Singh, who bowled poorly in the first Test at Chittagong, has been dropped while rookie spinner Rajesh Pawar or Ishant sharma looked like making it to the eleven.

Explaining the rationale for keeping Laxman and Yuvraj out, Dravid said there were five batsmen fighting for only three slots in the middle order.

''Laxman has been picked as a middle order batsman on this tour, after seeing the conditions, we were very keen on playing five bowlers. He is fighting for one of the three shots basically in the middle order.

''Between myself, Sachin, Sourav, Laxman and Yuvraj we are fighting for three slots, while its true that in some situations during some tours we do have four slots in the middle,'' he said.

Draivd said it was not an easy decision for him to keep them out. ''That's just the way it is. It's not an easy decision for me. It never has been and never will be.'' Dravid said the choice between Ishant Sahrma and Rajesh Pawar depended on whether the team manamgent decided to go for three pacers or spinners.

''We are keeping the option open of playing either the third spinner or a third quick, giving Ishant a game as well,'' he said.

On retaining opener Wasim Jaffer, Dravid said, ''It was decided not to change the opening combination after only one game. I think the selectors were quite clear in the team meeting that irrespective of what happened in the first game, we would not be changing our opening combination after just one game of a two-Test tour.'' Dravid was not ready to be involved in talks of Dinesh Karthck being a stop-gap opener or not when he said, ''It did not matter whether he was a specialist or not as long as he kept on scoring runs. I don't know what better way I can say this. Karthick is a wicket keeper. But, he is also playing as an opening batsman.

He is scoring runs. It does not matter whether you are a sepcilaist, regular or non-regular.'' ''In my ten years of playing for India, the guy who has been the most consistent and got runs as an opener for us over ten years is a middle order batsman. It does not matter who you are if you have the technique, guts, courage and willingness,'' he said.

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