MUMBAI, May 9: Indian captain Saurav Ganguly failed to make it to the International Cricket Council’s initial Rest of the World squads announced on Monday for the Super Series in Australia later this year. Ganguly, who has led his team to a record 19 Test wins, was not named in the squads of 30 each announced by chief selector Sunil Gavaskar because of a poor recent run in international cricket.

The ICC Rest of the World XI are scheduled to take on world champions Australia in three one-dayers (Oct 5, 7 and 9) in Melbourne and a six-day Test in Sydney (Oct 14 to 19) which have been accorded official status. Pakistan, who drew a recent three-Test series in India 1-1 before winning a six-match one-day series 4-2, were rewarded as nine players found their way to either the Test or one-day squad.

Speedster Shoaib Akhtar, ignored for Pakistan’s upcoming tour of the West Indies, was included in both squads along with captain Inzamamul Haq and seamer Rana Navedul Hasan. A total of 21 players are common in both squads with India and South Africa having five each in both lists and seven in all for the Tests.

“The squads are packed with talented players from around the world who will pose a serious challenge to Australia’s supremacy in both forms of the game,” said Gavaskar, a former India skipper.

“It was incredibly difficult to confine our selections to just 30 players for each squad, but in the end and after much agonising and debate, the panel is confident that these are the best combinations of players for the challenge ahead.

“While statistics were a significant form guide, we placed more importance on our knowledge of the players, their ability to perform on the biggest stage and their character in taking on such hardened opponents as Australia,” he said.

ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said the selectors were doing a good job. No player from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe or Kenya was picked.

The selection panel comprising Gavaskar, Mike Atherton, Sir Richard Hadlee, Clive Lloyd, Jonty Rhodes and Aravinda de Silva will shortlist the squads to 20 each in July before announcing the final teams in August.

INITIAL SQUADS: