Indian news round-up

The right wing Hindu party, the Shiv Sena was in action once more at the capital. Agencies report that activists of the same party raised slogans against the five cricketers who face bans on the count of being involved in matchfixing. Mohammed Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Ajay Sharma, Manoj Prabhakar and Nayan Mongia were earlier named in a report submitted by the Central Bureau of Investigation and have been suspended from playing cricket for their respective state teams in the Ranji Trophy. As the activists got more agitated, they resorted to pelting Ajay Jadeja with rotten eggs. The protesters yelled "hang the traitors" and waved black flags even as Jadeja was escorted into a separate enclosure at the National Women's Press Club in Delhi.

Vijay Bharadwaj will lead the Karnataka team which takes on Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy at Chennai from November 8-11. The 15 member squad is bereft of Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Sunil Joshi and Rahul Dravid who will be in Dhaka for the historic Test against Bangladesh.

The team: Vijay Bharadwaj (captain), B Akhil, Anand Yalvigi, J Arun Kumar, Barrington Rowland, Dharmichand, Dodda Ganesh, AR Mahesh, Mansur Ali Khan, Mithun Beerala, Rajshekar Shanbal, Santosh Vadeyaraj, Sujith Somasunder, Sunil Kumar and Thilak Naidu. Coach: SMH Kirmani. Manager: J Abhiram.

Less than a week before the Indian team leaves for Dhaka to play newly inducted Test side in a one off Test match, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has sought permission from the Indian government to tour Pakistan early next year. Following the conflict in Kargil, India and Pakistan have not played each other in a series. Board supremo AC Muthiah told pressmen that he had made his case to the government. He also added that the government would make a decision on the matter "in a week's time." If the Indian government gives the board the go ahead, India will tour Pakistan for a full length tour in January-February 2001.