Too many injury concerns : Team India mulls over its options

[Chandan]

Swltering heat, tired players, injury struck attack and an almost dangerous dustbowl and 0-1 behind in a 3 test series with just one test to go: things are not looking very good for India. At least we have one good news!! Ishant Sharma clears fitness test for Kanpur Test

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Ishant Sharma clears fitness test for Kanpur Test Ishant Sharma clears fitness test for Kanpur Test More...

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Kumble injury concern for India India skipper Anil Kumble has not recovered from a groin injury and is doubtful for the final Test against South Africa. More... Kumble injury concern for India April 10 2008 at 12:26PM By N Ananthanarayanan India skipper Anil Kumble has not recovered from a groin injury and is doubtful for the third and final test against South Africa that begins on Friday. India are 1-0 down in the series after losing the second test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 90 runs and the absence of India's most successful bowler would be a massive blow to their hopes of squaring the series. "Not yet fully (recovered)," a tense Kumble told reporters on Thursday. "I have to wait till tomorrow morning and make a call." Kumble suffered the injury in the drawn first test in Chennai and has missed just five tests in India (in 2000-1) since he played his first test at home in 1993. The 37-year-old, who has taken 608 test wickets and is third behind fellow spinners Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne on the all-time list, has just four wickets so far in the series. He struggled while bowling in the nets on Thursday but said he would play on Friday if he could bowl. If Kumble misses out, young leg spinner Piyush Chawla and off spinner Ramesh Powar are in the squad alongside Harbhajan Singh. The India squad did receive some welcome news with teenage teenage pace bowler Ishant Sharma declared fit following foot and finger injuries he suffered during the tour of Australia. Kumble said he expected his side to bounce back following the loss in Ahmedabad. "It is not the first time we've lost a test match and need to comeback, we've done that before," Kumble said. "Whenever we have been pushed to the wall, we've performed exceptionally well." "In Ahmedabad, it was just one of those tests. It was one bad session we've had in the last six years. We're very proud of our record in India, we'd like to keep it. "We've a few plans to go ahead and exploit them. "We are very confident we will be able to do that." While the match in Ahmedabad aided the seamers, the Green Park ground pitch is bereft of any grass, already cracking up and could quickly deteriorate in the intense sun, which would play into Kumble's, and India's, hands. Kumble, however, was irked by questions on the pitch, following media criticism the groundsman seemed to be under pressure to provide a pitch to help the Indian spinners. "There has been lot of talk on the pitch. It looks like a dry surface and it should assist spin as the game progresses. "Whatever the conditions we need to play good cricket. We're capable of doing that in this test match."

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Kumble is a doubt for third Test India skipper Anil Kumble is a doubt for the third and final Test against South Africa as battles to recover from a groin injury. More... Kumble is a doubt for third Test Kumble and Singh ® will be seeking South African wickets India skipper Anil Kumble is a doubt for the third and final Test against South Africa as he battles to recover from a groin injury. India trail the series 1-0 after they lost the second Test in Ahmedabad by an innings and 90 runs within three days. The absence of Kumble, India's most successful bowler, would be a blow to their hopes of squaring the series. The match in Kanpur starts on Friday and Kumble said on Thursday: "I'm not yet fully recovered." He suffered the injury in the drawn first Test in Chennai and has missed just five Tests in India since 1993. The 37-year-old, who has taken four wickets so far in the series, struggled while bowling in the nets on Thursday but said he would play on Friday if he could bowl. If Kumble misses out in Kanpur, young leg spinner Piyush Chawla and off spinner Ramesh Powar provide options in the squad alongside the established Harbhajan Singh. There was better news for teenage pace bowler Ishant Sharma who has been declared fit following foot and finger injuries he suffered during the tour of Australia. Kumble said he expected his side to bounce back following the loss in Ahmedabad. "It is not the first time we've lost a Test match and need to comeback, we've done that before," Kumble said. "Whenever we have been pushed to the wall, we've performed exceptionally well. "In Ahmedabad, it was just one of those Tests. It was one bad session we've had in the last six years. We're very proud of our record in India, we'd like to keep it. "We've a few plans to go ahead and exploit them. We are very confident we will be able to do that." He also said the Green Park ground pitch looked like a dry surface which should assist spin as the game progresses. South Africa captain Graeme Smith said the tourists may play a second spinner, with Robin Peterson an option to partner Paul Harris. They will move to number two behind Australia in the ICC's Test rankings if they can avoid defeat. "The fact that only two teams have beaten India in India during the last 20 years proves how tough the Indian tour is," said Smith. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India squad: Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble (captain), Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Ramesh Powar, Ishant Sharma, Sree Santh, Munaf Patel.

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Groin strain sidelines Kumble INDIA captain Anil Kumble was ruled out of the third and final Test against South Africa through injury. More... Kumble ruled out, SA elect to bat Apr 11, 2008 India captain Anil Kumble was ruled out of the third and final test against South Africa through injury on Friday. The 37-year-old leg spinner, India's most successful bowler, failed to recover from a groin strain, leaving one-day skipper Mahendra Dhoni to lead the team for the first time in tests. South Africa captain Graeme Smith won the toss and elected to bat on a dry pitch expected to assist the spinners. India made three changes from the side which lost the second test by an innings and 90 runs. They included leg-spinner Piyush Chawla for Kumble and recalled fit-against paceman Ishant Sharma and batsman Yuvraj Singh. The tourists lead the series 1-0.