by TONY COZIER

DROPPED from the Test team by the on-the-spot selectors last week, Ramnaresh Sarwan received a vote of confidence yesterday when he was retained as vice-captain for next month's five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) that follow the three Tests on the current tour of Pakistan.

Sarwan's position as Brian Lara's deputy seemed in jeopardy when he was left out of the final XI for the Multan Test to the accompaniment of Lara's pre-toss comment that it was "an opportunity for him to spend some time off the field and see what it's like and come out back into the middle maybe more energetic and more purposeful".

Yesterday's decision indicates that the three home-based selectors – chairman Gordon Greenidge, Clyde Butts and Andy Roberts – still regard Sarwan as the future captain when Lara, now 37, eventually retires and vacates the post he has held on three separate occasions.

It is the latest twist in Sarwan's leadership role in the team.

He was appointed vice-captain when Lara returned for his second stint at the helm in March, 2004, only to be replaced by Shivnarine Chanderpaul in January, 2005, for the tour of Australia for the triangular One-Day VB Series.

He was reinstated as vice-captain under Chanderpaul for the tour of New Zealand last February and March and retained when Lara was recalled following Chanderpaul's resignation.

He was widely praised for his handling of the situation on the field when the West Indies beat Australia by 11 runs in the Champions Trophy group match after taking over when Lara injured his back batting.

The 26-year-old Guyanese's omission from the Test team, after 64 Tests, and Lara's explanation, inevitably triggered speculation over his future.

Pressed on the issue by the media in Pakistan, Lara indicated after the drawn Multan Test that Sarwan's return to the Test team would be sooner, rather than later.

He described him as "one of the best talents in his generation, in my generation and even the generation before".

"He is someone that we look forward to having in the future," Lara said. "He is a leader, he is the vice-captain of the team and he is someone that we expect a lot from."

"The West Indies did not invest 64 Test matches to have Sarwan sitting down on the side," he added. "We need him, we need someone like that, mid-20s, going out there and taking control of our team.

'He would definitely be back, he's strong in character and he is someone who we are all going to enjoy seeing in the future."

There are four changes in the ODI squad of 14 for Pakistan from the ICC Champions Trophy team in India in October and November.

Fast bowler Daren Powell, left-arm wrist spinner Dave Mohammed and opening batsman Lendl Simmons, the only newcomer, replace fast bowlers Corey Collymore and Fidel Edwards and left-handed batsman Wavell Hinds.

There is a straight swap of wicket-keepers, Denesh Ramdin taking over from Carlton Baugh.

Left-arm seamer Ian Bradshaw, ranked No. 3 among ODI bowlers by the ICC, and all-rounders Dwayne Smith and Marlon Samuels are the only three not in Test squad in Pakistan at present.

Daren Ganga, Omari Banks, Collymore and Edwards return to the Caribbean after the Test series.

The squad

Brian Lara (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-captain), Ian Bradshaw, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, Dave Mohammed, Runako Morton, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor.

The ODI itinerary (all matches day/night):

December 5: 1st ODI, Rawalpindi; December 7: 2nd ODI, Faisalabad; December 10: 3rd ODI, Lahore; December 13: 4th ODI, Multan; December 16: 5th ODI, Karachi.