Play Gambhir, Harbhajan: Wadekar ...

Former India skipper and one of the most successful managers of the Indian team, Ajit Wadekar on Monday said that inclusion of opening batsman Gautam Gambhir and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh in the third and final Test match against South Africa will make a huge difference to India’s fortunes in the on-going Test series.

"If I were the captain of the Indian team in South Africa, I would persist with Virender Sehwag and replace Wasim Jaffer with Gautam Gambhir. Agreed Sehwag is going through a worst phase in his career, but if he strikes form he will be a real match-winner and the Indians need to be positive so that they can win the series at Cape Town," Wadekar told CricketNext.com.

"I would replace Jaffer with Gambhir, simply because the former seems to be finding it difficult to adjust to the bounce and pace of the South African wickets and Gambhir seems to be in good nick. Jaffer has got enough chances and it will only be fair if Gautam too gets his share of chances," Wadekar, who guided India to its first overseas Test series wins in the West Indies and England in 1971, added.

"With India forced to go all out for a win, I would play Harbhajan Singh as the second spinner in place of VRV Singh as the wicket at Cape Town will be spongy and slow and two spinners will come handy as the South Africans are not comfortable against top quality spin," the southpaw said.

Calling all-rounder Irfan Pathan’s ouster mid-way through the tour as ‘shocking and uncalled for’, Wadekar said, "Pathan would have benefited more if he had stayed back and taken guidance from bowlers like Wasim Akram of Pakistan, who is in South Africa as a TV commentator, and former South African fast bowler Allan Donald but now they (selectors) have sent him back needlessly, let’s hope he gets some valuable practice playing in domestic cricket before the World Cup."

"Personally speaking Pathan is a confused lad at the moment, he is not sure whether he should concentrate more on his bowling or batting."