Yesterday Sanjay Manjrekar singled out the eight players who hold the key to India's success in South Africa. Today he appraises the rest of the squad Javagal Srinath
For all the benevolence that the Indian board has showered on him, it's now payback time for Srinath. He is one fast bowler who is shy of pitching the ball up. He prefers to hit the deck all the time - which is bread and butter to the South African batsmen. Ideally, his selection should have been restricted to the Test matches. I see him having a difficult time in the one-dayers.

Reetinder Singh Sodhi
It would be a bit of an exaggeration to call him an allrounder. He can bat a bit and bowl a bit. One shouldn't expect much more than that of him in South Africa.

SS Das
A very smart selection of a batsman who has yet to make his one-day debut. In the few Tests he has played, Das has shown the ability to steal runs and rotate the strike. His presence in the squad - he will probably not make the final XI at first - will be a source of comfort for the team.

Ajit Agarkar
His aggressive attitude as a bowler makes him a welcome addition against such tough opposition. But it's time for him to back up his attitude with results. He has contrasting approaches to batting and bowling. He would be better served if he focused on his bowling and looked on his performances with the bat as a bonus. Ajit has a tendency to mull over his batting too much, and that has been affecting his bowling which is his real strength.

Harvinder Singh
He will, in all likelihood, return to India without creating a flutter. His bowling has neither the pace nor the swing to trouble the South African top order.

Jacob Martin
Here is a man who deserves to be successful. Martin has been performing well at first-class level for a while now, but has only had limited opportunities on the international stage. He is a sound, compact batsman who is at his best when the chips are down. His commitment on the field, as well as towards his colleagues, should be rewarded. Time invested in Martin would be time well spent.

Deep Dasgupta
He has been preferred to Haryana's Ajay Ratra, presumably because East Zone selector Ashok Malhotra thinks highly of him. Malhotra is the same selector who once picked Laxmi Ratan Shukla in the national squad, claiming that Shukla was a prodigy and a "potential Kapil Dev". Let's hope he's more accurate this time. India desperately need a quality keeper, and the selection of Dasgupta is a gamble.

Sanjay Manjrekar, a mainstay of India's batting a decade ago, will be commentating on all India's big games in South Africa in our Session by Session slot, available to registered users.

Manjrekar on India's key players

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd