First Kashmiri in team India

Srinagar: The entire cricketing fraternity in Jammu and Kashmir is celebrating the announcement of the Indian team for the ensuing ODI series against Zimbabwe. Making it to the squad is home-grown off-spinner Parvez Rasool, who has effectively become the first cricketer from the troubled valley to make it to the national team. Rasool has also been included in the India 'A' team that will play a series in South Africa immediately after the Zimbabwe tour. The 24-year-old's first reaction said it all: My thanks and salaam to Jammu and Kashmir. He has tipped for a Test berth by none other than his mentor, spin legend Bishan Singh Bedi, who is also the coach-manager of the Jammu and Kashmir Ranji team. Bedi has contended that his prot�g� would serve as an admirable foil to Ravichandran Ashwin, who, incidentally, is also an off-spinner. Meanwhile, like Bedi, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, hoped that Rasool would get a place in the playing eleven and that he would cement a place of permanence by seizing the opportunity to the fullest. Parvez Rasool played for Pune Warriors India in the sixth edition of Indian Premier League.

Kohli is full-fledged captain Dhoni, seniors take a break; Rasool gets the nod; Pujara to lead India 'A' Mumbai (PTI): Parveez Rasool on Friday became the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to be named in the Indian cricket team as the selectors opted to rest captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and four other top players for the five-match ODI series in Zimbabwe later this month. Prolific batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were also recalled in the 15-man squad to be led by young Virat Kohli who is currently leading the team in the West Indies following a hamstring injury to Dhoni. Saurashtra pacer Jaydev Unadkat and Haryana speedster Mohit Sharma, who made an impression in the ILP-6 for the Chennai Super Kings, were also named in the squad announced by BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel after a meeting of the selection committee here. Apart from Dhoni, pacemen Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav and spinner Ravichandran Aswhin were also rested while Murali Vijay was dropped from the team. The selectors also decided to ignore veterans like Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar and preferred to go with youngsters for the Zimbabwe tour to be held from July 24 to August 3. The selectors also picked the India A team for the tour of South Africa which will be captained by Pujara. The India A team also includes Rasool and a number of other youngsters like Shahbaz Nadeem, Siddharth Kaul, Ishwar Pandey and Stuart Binny.

Omar wishes Rasool Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday called on promising all-rounder Parvez Rasool from Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah congratulated Rasool on his selection in the 15-member Indian squad for the five-match ODI series against Zimbabwe. "Have heard the great news about Parvez Rasool being selected to play for India against Zimbabwe. Well deserved selection. Make us proud now," the Jammu and Kashmir CM wrote on his twitter page. Indian team for Zimbabwe: Virat Kohli (C), S Dhawan, R Sharma, D Karthik, C Pujara, S Raina, A Rayudu, A Rahane, R Jadeja, A Mishra, Parveez Rasool, Md Shami, Vinay Kumar, J Unadkat, Mohit Sharma. India'A' for South Africa tour: Cheteshwar Pujara (C), Dhawan, M Vijay, R Sharma, S Raina, A Rayudu, D Karthik, A Rahane, W Saha, P Rasool, Shahbaz Nadeem, M Shami, S Binny, Ishwar Chand Pandey, J Unadkat, Siddharth Kaul.