Return to equal terms

India would return to near full strength when they take on world champions Australia in a dry run before the finals of the triangular series...

India would return to near full strength when they take on world champions Australia in a dry run before the finals of the triangular series at the WACA here tomorrow. Top guns Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag will resume their opening stand which fetched them two century stands in as many matches before injury intervened. So is the case with Yuvraj Singh who is back after missing a game because of a ear infection.

Still, the regular breakdown of cricketers could not have passed without taking a toll as Anil Kumble is surely out for the remaining two league games, and probably even the finals. Kumble’s absence is a boon for left-arm spinner Murali Kartik, who would be persisted with tomorrow. He has a good chance of staying in for the best-of-three finals.

Indian captain Saurav Ganguly has confirmed his faith in Kartik and supported the presence of at least one specialist spinner in the tourists’ XI. “Kartik played well in that truncated game in Sydney. He probably wouldn’t have got that chance if Kumble was fit for him to make the most of it. The bounce in the wicket will also support him,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

Amidst all the injury blows, VVS Laxman has been like a Rock of Gibraltar and his three hundreds in one week have literally induced the fear of god among bowlers.

With Kartik in the team, and Ajit Agarkar and Irfan Pathan assured of their berths, the 11th member’s place in the side will be contested between Ashish Nehra and Laxmipathy Balaji.

Both India and Australia are in the finals though the latter has a 2-1 advantage over the tourists in the league phase, which Ganguly’s men are looking to rectify.

The line-up of both the sides has been fiddled around a bit in the last couple of weeks because of their various reasons. Australia’s regular captain Ricky Ponting has been rested in this game but Adam Gilchrist returns after being given a break from the squad in the last couple of games.

Story continues below this ad

David Hussey, the 29-year-old Western Australian cricketer, would be making his international debut in front of his home crowd. He and Simon Katich will come in place of Ponting and an injured Michael Bevan. (PTI)

Military Digest | Truckers, villagers and NCC cadets who fought 1965 Indo-Pak war

Cities40 min ago

Punjab, 60 years after the 1965 war, is now facing a new battle against floods. The villagers are displaying the same fighting spirit as they did during the war. The unsung heroes from the war, including truck drivers, civilians, NCC cadets, and a railwayman, played a vital role in defending the country.

View all shorts

Live Blog