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20 April 2024

Dravid recalled for ODIs

Published
By AFP

In-form batsman Rahul Dravid was surprisingly recalled to the Indian one-day squad to play England for the first time in two years on Saturday.

Dravid has scored centuries in both matches of an ongoing four-test series, which England leads 2-0. He last played an ODI in the 2009 Champions Trophy in South Africa.

The squad of 16 doesn't include allrounder Yuvraj Singh and lead spinner Harbhajan Singh, who were ruled out from the rest of the test series due to injuries after the second match at Trent Bridge.

India will play England in a Twenty20 game on Aug. 31, followed by five ODIs.

India has been struggling with its batting in the seam-friendly conditions of England, forcing selectors to draft in the 38-year-old Dravid, who has scored 10,765 runs in 339 one-dayers, including 12 centuries and 82 half-centuries.

Dravid was a key player for the team that reached the 2003 World Cup final. He also played in the 2007 World Cup as India crashed out at the preliminary stage. However, he hasn't been a regular in subsequent one-day squads.

Dravid has figured in all four editions of the Indian Premier League but has regularly declined to play Twenty20 internationals like Sachin Tendulkar.

India's chief selector, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, said after a selection committee meeting that the team would miss Yuvraj, who was instrumental in India winning this year's World Cup.

"Both Yuvraj and Harbhajan will have to prove their fitness before being considered for the national team," Srikkanth said from Chennai. "Yuvraj is our main player but you can't do much when you have a fracture."

Yuvraj is nursing a fracture to his left index finger while Harbhajan is out with a stomach injury.

Parthiv Patel will be the stand-by wicketkeeper, replacing Wriddhiman Saha, who is touring with the test squad.

There were no other surprises. Ravichandran Ashwin is expected to be the main spinner with legspinner Amit Mishra the second specialist slow option.

Zaheer Khan leads a five-man seam attack.

Indian squad:

Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Parthiv Patel, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Munaf Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra.<

Trott out for England

Batsman Jonathan Trott has been left out of the England squad for the third Test against India after failing to recover from a shoulder injury, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Saturday.

Trott, who was therefore omitted from the 13-man squad, will be replaced by Ravi Bopara, rather than the uncapped James Taylor, who had been touted as a possible replacement for a match that starts at Birmingham's Edgbaston ground on Wednesday after impressing for the second string England Lions this season.

England have also named Steven Finn as fast-bowling cover for Chris Tremlett, who is expected to be fit after suffering from hamstring trouble and back spasms.

Trott sustained the injury diving in the field during England's 319-run victory over India in the second Test at Nottingham that left the hosts 2-0 up in the four-match series.

Should England win again at Edgbaston they will replace India at the top of the ICC's Test Championship table.

England national selector Geoff Miller, after announcing the squad, said: "Ravi Bopara comes in for Jonathan Trott, who is continuing his rehabilitation from his shoulder injury.

"Chris Tremlett is recovering well from the back spasms that ruled him out of the second Test -- and although we are expecting him to be fully fit ahead of Wednesday, we felt it was prudent to include an extra seam bowler at this stage.

"That means Steven Finn comes into the squad."

Bopara has played 10 Tests for England but none since August 2009.

Former England off-spinner Miller added: "We have seen some very pleasing performances during the first two npower Test matches.

"But there is still plenty more to do in this series, and the squad and management will be determined to carry the momentum from recent weeks through to the remaining two Tests and push for a comprehensive series victory."

England squad:

Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (wkt), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, Ravi Bopara, Steven Finn.