SL 194/3 at Tea, India Without Bhajji, Gauti, Yuvi in 3rd Test; SL Change Fast Bowlers

--> -->

Sreelata YellamrazuAug 3 2010

The great debate that has occupied minds all week has been put to rest.

pragyan ojha wicket

For the third Test beginning at the P. Sara Oval, the Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has stuck to Suresh Raina, who scored a debut Test century in the second Tests, while Yuvraj Singh has been kept out of the team. It is not entirely clear whether the decision was based entirely on Yuvraj's recovery from the flu that kept him out of the previous match because he seemed to be enjoying himself on the fifth day, even substituting as a fielder at one point.

The struggling Harbhajan Singh has made way for Amit Mishra who joins Pragyan Ojha on the spinners' list. Harbhajan was down with flu himself before the first Test and has not been able to perform at his best through the two Tests. He was even rested for the tri series ODIs to follow.

Gautam Gambhir was ruled out early with a knee injury. There was much speculation over who will join Virender Sehwag in the opening slot, given that the Indian captain was opposed to the idea of thrusting either Yuvraj or Raina in that specialist position. Eventually the specialist opener, Murali Vijay, has been drafted in.

Sri Lanka enforced a couple of changes as well. With Lasith Malinga fit and Chanaka Welegedera getting a good measure of the Indians on previous occasions, Kumar Sangakkara brought them in favour of Dilhara Fernando and Dhammika Prasad from the last Test.

Last seen at tea, India were struggling for breakthrough, with Sri Lanka three down for 194 after Sangakkara was dismissed by Ojha for seventy-five runs and India getting the bonus wicket of Tillekeratne Dilshan who was run out by the combination of Vijay and Dhoni for forty-one.

Indian Squad for Sri Lanka Tri Series Sees Tendulkar, Harbhajan, Gambhir Rested

India Stays as Top-Ranked Test Team After Annual Update

Dhoni Slams SSC Pitch After Match Ends in Dull Draw; Commends Team for Batting Well

Ind SL T2 Day 5: The Farce Comes to an Early End with a Predictable Draw

Pitches Like That At SSC Give Rise to Talk of Twenty20, Day and Night Tests, and What Not

Ind SL T2 Day 4 Stumps: Tendulkar's Double Century, Raina's Debut Ton Give India Lead

Sachin Tendulkar Scored 5th Double Test century; Equals Brian Lara Record for 150

Steve Waugh Does not Think India Are No.1 Test Team Material

Ind SL T2 Day 3 Stumps: Tendulkar's 48th Test Ton, Sehwag's Miss Add to Lifeless Day

Ind SL T2 Day 2 Stumps: Sangakkara Double Century, Mahela Century Take Sri Lanka to 642/4

Gambhir Out with Knee; Yuvraj With Fever Equates Absence of Muralitharan, Malinga?

Ind SL T2 Day 1 Stumps: India Suffer Deja Vu as Paranavitana, Sangakkara Score Centuries