Kolkata, Feb 16 (IANS) Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary N. Srinivasan Tuesday admitted that injuries were happening as the Indian team was playing lot of cricket.

'We are playing lot of cricket. Injuries will be there,' Srinivasan told mediapersons here.

The BCCI secretary was in the city to attend the national senior selection committee meeting for choosing the One-Day International squad for the first of the two matches against South African beginning Feb 21.

Srinivasan, however, said India had enough bench strength to make up for the injured players.

Gautam Gambhir is the latest on the growing injury list. The left-hand opener has been ruled out for the ODI series against South Africa due to groin injury. Yuvraj Singh, who is already sitting out of the ongoing Test series with a ligament tear in his wrist, is also out of the squad.

All-rounders Yusuf Pathan, who has been in blistering form in the domestic season and won the Duleep Trophy for the West Zone with a sensational unbeaten 210, and Abhishek Nayar have been included in the 15-member squad announced Tuesday.

Also, Tamil Nadu off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has got his maiden call in the Indian squad with Harbhajan Singh making himself unavailable due to personal reasons.

Srinivasan had a 30-minute meeting with Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya.

'It was a nice meeting,' Srinivasan said.

Dalmiya called it a courtesy visit.

'Nothing more should be read into it. He was in the city for the meeting. Such visits are always welcome,' Dalmiya said.