Dravid buoyed by Flintoff absence

India captain Rahul Dravid believes the injury to Andrew Flintoff gives his side an excellent chance of winning the three-Test series with England.

Flintoff has 22 wickets in nine Tests against India and, as captain, took 3-14 as England won the final Test in Mumbai to level the series in 2005-6.

"Fast-bowling all-rounders are like gold and England have a problem replacing him," Dravid said.

"His absence makes things far more equal this time."

Flintoff is not expected to play any part in the three Tests, which begin at Lord's on 19 July and culminate at The Oval on 9 August, having undergone further surgery on his troublesome ankle.

"When England came to India last time he was brilliant," Dravid enthused. "He led really well and he was outstanding with bat and ball."

Things have not gone so well for Flintoff since that tour, however, losing the Ashes 5-0 as captain and then being stripped of the vice-captaincy at the World Cup after some well documented late night exertions.

I'll probably go with four bowlers in these conditions

Rahul Dravid

The charismatic 29-year-old is currently working hard to recuperate with long-term physio and mentor Dave Roberts and may feature in the seven-match one-day series beginning at The Rose Bowl on 21 August.

Dravid, meanwhile, believes England have been strengthened by the selection of Sussex wicket-keeper/batsman Matt Prior, who has scored a century and two fifties in his first six Test innings.

"Prior lends a lot of balance, but we've got to play the whole team. England are ranked second behind Australia so obviously they have a good set-up and I followed their series against West Indies closely."

Dravid, one of four India batsmen to pass fifty in the tour match against Sussex at Hove, is pleased with his team's preparation ahead of the match against England A at Chelmsford on 13 July and the forthcoming Test series.

"I know my best top six for the first Test and for the next game it will be clear," he said. "I'll probably go with four bowlers in these conditions and it's a tidy balance to find an all-rounder. It's a question to find that balance."

Live Cricket Scores- India dominant in Hove tour match

Tour match, Hove, day two (close): Sussex 146-5 v India 388-7d

County champions Sussex struggled to 146-5, 242 behind India after two days of the tour match at Hove.

VVS Laxman moved within five of a century, firing 12 fours in a 178-ball knock before Saqlain Mushtaq found some sharp turn and he edged to slip.

Former Paksitan spinner Saqlain, 30, on his first-class debut for Sussex took 3-71 before India declared on 388-7.

Michael Yardy made a watchful 53 for Sussex but veteran spinner Anil Kumble took 2-28 to put his side in command.

India resumed on 281-3 but skipper Rahul Dravid decided not to resume his innings and spent the day resting a slight calf strain.

Laxman made his highest score in England, sharing a fourth-wicket stand of 76 in 30 overs with Yuvraj Singh who made 31.

Yuvraj fell to the fourth ball after lunch when he was stumped attempting to drive spinner Ollie Rayner, who then struck again when Mahendra Dhoni was trapped in front trying to work the ball to leg.

Laxman thumped Rayner through the covers to move into the 90s but when Saqlain found extra bounce as well as turn to take the shoulder of the bat, the fourth wicket to fall inside 12 overs, Dravid decided to declare.

Having switched to the Sea End, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth had Richard Montgomerie caught at third slip as Sussex made a hesitant start to their reply.

Chris Nash, who hit a series of towering sixes in the Twenty20, was becalmed early in his 28 from 72 balls but hit three successive fours before he also fell to a slip catch.

Carl Hopkinson was yorked by RP Singh and 19-year-old Michael Thornely was bowled through the gate by Kumble.

Yardy reached his first half century since the opening game of the season with a fine square drive off Kumble, before the wily slow bowler ousted him with a deceptive googly.

India squad ready for tour opener

Tour match, Hove: Sussex v India
Play starts 1200 BST
India will begin assessing their options for the Test series in England when they take on county champions Sussex in a four-day game at Hove.

It is the first of two warm-up games for the tourists, who are hoping to repeat their 1986 win over England.

They are likely to include Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman and Wasim Jaffer, who did not play in the recent one-day series against South Africa in Belfast.

And Shanthakumaran Sreesanth is also set to play after recovering from flu.

The 24-year-old has taken 37 wickets in eight Tests and is expected to be a key figure in the Test series, having bowled superbly on seamer-friendly wickets in South Africa last winter.

India may also take a look at uncapped Ranadeb Bose, who was a surprise inclusion in the tour squad ahead of the likes of Munaf Patel, VRV Singh and Irfan Pathan.

Bose only needs six wickets to reach 200 in first-class cricket, but now faces the task of proving he can make the step up to international level.

For batsman Laxman, meanwhile, his focus is on simply trying to force his way back into the Test line-up.
He was not involved in their most recent series against Bangladesh, despite having scored more than 4,800 runs in 80 appearances at an average of 42.

"It was frustrating because I thought I did reasonably well in South Africa, but then the situation was such that the team management had to take a call on five bowlers.

"In a team game, someone misses out. It was unfortunate that I did in Bangladesh," he said.

"It is quite disappointing honestly, but it is not in my control. What is in my control is to go out and get runs whenever I'm given a chance."

Laxman added: "Playing in England is special. I firmly believe we can win the series this time round."

India have agreed to a delayed start at mid-day because Sussex were involved in a Twenty20 Cup match against Hampshire on Friday evening, and it remains to be seen how strong a side the county puts out.