Thursday, January 25, 2007

Yuvraj fit for final one-dayers-WestIndies Vs India

India batsman Yuvraj Singh and veteran spin bowler Anil Kumble have been recalled for the final two one-day matches against West Indies.

Yuvraj is fit again after missing the whole of the South Africa tour with a torn ligament in his left knee.

Kumble, 36, joins fellow spinners Harbhajan Singh and Ramesh Powar in the squad, with all-rounder Joginder Sharma and seamer Rudra Pratap Singh left out.

All-rounder Irfan Pathan will join the squad for the last match in Baroda.

India lead the series 2-0 after a 20-run win in Cuttack on Wednesday.

And West Indies' stand-in captain Chris Gayle says his batsmen must support Shivnarine Chanderpaul to challenge in the remaining matches.

Chanderpaul has hit 149 not out and 66 in two losses so far and Gayle said: "We need the guys in the middle to come in and finish the game for us.

"Shiv is batting well but we need someone to stay there with him and build a big partnership.

"It's going to be difficult, we are behind the eight ball, we can't afford to lose any more games."

The tourists will give captain Brian Lara a fitness test on his injured knee just before the start of Saturday's match in Chennai (Madras).

India must name their World Cup 15 by 13 February, a month before the tournament starts in the Caribbean on 13 March.

They are also due to play four one-dayers against Sri Lanka in February, but will have only the first two games on 8 and 11 February to gauge the most suitable World Cup combination.


Squad: Rahul Dravid (capt), Sachin Tendulkar (vice-capt), Robin Uthappa, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Dhoni, Dinesh Karthick, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Ramesh Powar, Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan (for fourth match only).

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