By V Krishnaswamy SportsTicker Contributing Editor

NEW DELHI, India (Ticker) -- The clash between the world's top two batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, has added to the buildup to India's forthcoming cricket tour of the West Indies.

The two have featured in the same series only twice before and will be the leading figures of their respective sides.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket Board has brought in Mumbai opener Wasim Jaffar in a squad full of batsmen for the tour. The 24-year-old Jaffar, discarded after two Tests against South Africa at home two years ago, was recalled as Shiv Sunder Das's opening partner following centuries in each innings of a recent domestic match.

The 16-man squad has seven specialist batsmen, including the seasoned quartet of captain Saurav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Vangipurappu Venkat Laxman.

The selectors also picked all-rounder Sanjay Bangar, two wicket-keepers, Ajay Ratra and Deep Dasgupta, but just two spinners, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. The selectors once again ignored veteran wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia, preferring to keep faith in the young duo of Ratra and Dasgupta.

Dinesh Mongia, whose unbeaten 159 helped India clinch the one-day series against Zimbabwe on Tuesday, was selected for his first Test tour after playing 15 one-day internationals for India. The Punjab left-hander replaces dashing batsman Virender Sehwag, who was ruled out of the tour after sustaining a shoulder injury in the second Test against Zimbabwe earlier this month.

There was, however, no place for attacking stroke-player Yuvraj Singh despite an aggregate of 155 runs in the final two one-dayers he was selected to play against Zimbabwe. Yuvraj will, however, replace Mongia in the India 'A' squad that begins a tour of South Africa next week.

Left-arm bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra will share the new ball with pace spearhead Javagal Srinath, while young Tinu Yohannan will be the back-up fast bowler.

India will play five Tests against the West Indies, with the first to be played at the Bourda Oval in Georgetown, Guyana from April 11. The team for five subsequent one-day internationals will be named later.

According to chairman of selectors Chandu Borde, the first-choice wicketkeeper was Ratra and he will make his Test debut in the West Indies. Dasgupta has been included more as a batsman.

The squad: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Shiv Sunder Das, Wasim Jaffar, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Dinesh Mongia, Vangipurappu Laxman, Sanjay Bangar, Ajay Ratra, Deep Dasgupta, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Tinu Yohannan, Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan. Coach: John Wright. Physiotherapist: Andrew Leipus.

The question of whether or not Sachin Tendulkar is ready to take over as the captain once more, cropped up again. Tendulkar, while speaking to a TV Channel in India, made it clear that he does not mind taking over as India captain for a third time, but feels he is not ready for the job yet.

"To be honest, I am not really thinking about it right now," Tendulkar was quoted as saying. Then he added, "But I haven't ruled it out completely."

Tendulkar first became captain in 1996 but was removed at the end of 1997 after a series of poor results, only to assume the responsibility a second time in 1999. He relinquished the job on his return home following a 3-0 Test series rout in Australia in early 2000 and hinted he would never return to lead the national side again. Saurav Ganguly, the current skipper, replaced him in the job.

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