CHENNAI, Nov 22: Rahul Dravid was on Tuesday named India’s new Test captain in place of Saurav Ganguly after the selectors rewarded him for leading the team’s one-day resurgence.

The five-man selection committee, headed by former Test wicket-keeper Kiran More, named Dravid, 32, captain for the three Test matches against Sri Lanka starting on Dec 2.

The prolific batsman, who was last month handed the task of improving India’s dismal one-day performance, responded by recording a resounding 6-1 win over Sri Lanka in the recent home series.

India are currently locked 1-1 in the five-match limited-overs series against South Africa, winning the second game in Bangalore on Saturday to end the Proteas’ 20-match unbeaten streak.

“We have complete faith in Dravid’s leadership,” More told AFP. “I am sure he will do a good job in the Test matches as well.

The selectors would have given Dravid a longer term but left the decision to the new committee that will be in place after the Indian cricket board’s elections on Nov 29.

The gruelling season till July includes home Tests against Sri Lanka and England and tours of Pakistan and the West Indies.

Dravid’s elevation ends Ganguly’s reign as India’s most successful Test captain with 21 wins, but the left-hander is expected to return to the Test squad after being ignored for the one-dayers.

The Test squad will be picked on Wednesday.

Dravid, a long-time deputy to Ganguly, has led India in five Tests in the captain’s absence, with mixed results.

Under Dravid, India won and lost a Test each against Australia and Pakistan last season, while the fifth against New Zealand was drawn.

Dravid, who was named the International Cricket Council’s player of the year in 2004, has scored 7,871 runs at an average of 58.30 in 91 Tests with 20 centuries.

Ganguly, 33, was captain for the tour of Zimbabwe in September in which India lost the one-day final to New Zealand before defeating the weakened hosts 2-0. It was their first

Test series win outside the sub-continent since 1986.

The tour was, however, marred by a highly-publicised row between Ganguly and coach Greg Chappell, the former Australian captain and batting great who took over the Indian team in June.

Ganguly said Chappell asked him to drop out of the Test series due to his poor form. The coach later wrote an e-mail to cricket board officials in which he said Ganguly was physically and mentally unfit to lead India.

“We were not satisfied with Saurav’s leadership over the last few seasons,” More told reporters.

“We are expected to defeat Zimbabwe but we have not won consistently against the bigger teams.

“Rahul on the other hand has done well in the few opportunities that came his way. We have to look ahead and Dravid is clearly our captain for the future.”

The first Test against Sri Lanka will be played here from Dec 2-6, followed by the second in New Delhi from Dec 10-14 and the third in Kanpur from Dec 18-22.—AFP