Javagal Srinath, who has flown out to Colombo as cover for Ashish Nehra ahead of Sunday's ICC Champions Trophy final, looks set to make a return to Test cricket as well. "He is going to play again," said his captain, Sourav Ganguly, "I have always told him we need you to play Test matches." Srinath has spoken to Brijesh Patel, India's new chairman of selectors, and is likely to be included in the Test squad for next month's home series against West Indies.

In the meantime, Srinath is likely to take the field for Sunday's final against Sri Lanka. Nehra split the webbing between his index and middle finger while fielding during India's semi-final win over South Africa, an injury which required five stitches. He was rated as a doubtful starter for the game by India's management. Despite having Ajit Agarkar in the squad, the selectors decided to ask Srinath to fly out from England where he has been playing for Leicestershire and working as a television pundit.

Patel said, "We didn't want the team to lose the option of playing Srinath should the hosts provide a green-top. That's why we have said yes to him."

Asked whether he expected to play in the match, Srinath said that he "didn't expect that they would send for me if they didn't intend playing me". He flies out from London on Friday night .

Srinath announced his retirement from Test cricket at the end of India's tour of the Caribbean in June, but he was surprisingly left out of the one-day squad for the NatWest Series and the Champions Trophy. A veteran of 204 ODIs, he will bring some experience to India's raw seam attack.

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