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Laxman, Agarkar, Kumaran for Australia

V.V.S. Laxman, Ajit Agarkar and T Kumaran got the selectors' nod today for the Test series against Australia, from November 26.

Sunil Joshi is the only player from the existing team to be left out of the 16-man squad which was announced by Board of Control for Cricket in India honorary secretary Jaywant Lele in Ahmedabad.

India will play three Tests and a triangular one-day series involving Australia, Pakistan and India.

The chairman of selectors Chandu Borde was stumped when asked about the exclusion of Nayan Mongia. He said M.S.K. Prasad has been chosen after thinking about the team formation. "He has been doing well and is young and up and coming," he said.

When asked whether it meant that M.S.K. Prasad is a better keeper than Mongia, he was at loss of words for a reply.

Lele expressed unhappiness that only one wicketkeeper was selected for the tough tour. "I wanted two keepers to go," he said.

The team:
Sachin Tendulkar (captain)
Saurav Ganguly (vice-captain)
Sadagopan Ramesh
Devang Gandhi
V.V.S. Laxman
Rahul Dravid
Ajay Jadeja
Vijay Bharadwaj
M.S.K. Prasad
Anil Kumble
Harbhajan Singh
Javagal Srinath
Venkatesh Prasad
Debasish Mohanty
Ajit Agarkar
T. Kumaran