VVS Laxman was the only batsman to pay the price for his poor performance in New Zealand when the Indian selectors announced their 15-man squad for the World Cup. Dinesh Mongia, who has been scoring heavily in the domestic one-day tournament for Punjab, took Laxman's place. There were no other surprises in the squad announced after the five-man selection committee headed by Brijesh Patel met in Kolkata this afternoon. Parthiv Patel, yet to play a one-day international, has been included as cover for Rahul Dravid, who is certain to keep wicket despite his poor showing at Napier on December 29.

Sanjay Bangar, who has done little on this tour so far to justify his qualification as an allrounder, kept his place, presumably on the grounds that his gentle medium-pacers gave India a bowling option.

Slow left-armer Murali Kartik failed to make the team despite being the best Indian spinner in the home series against West Indies, which was completely dominated by batsmen. But he was only a long shot considering he had been ignored for the ongoing one-day series in New Zealand.

With Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble in the side already, there was never likely to be room for another spinner for a tournament to be played in South Africa, where the pitches are traditionally unfriendly to slow bowlers.

Indian squad Sourav Ganguly (capt), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Harbhajan Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Sanjay Bangar, Parthiv Patel, Javagal Srinath, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd