India get Laxman boost ahead of decisive Test
India’s seasoned batsman Venkatsai Laxman will return for the final
Test against South Africa after recovering from a finger injury, an
official said on Thursday.
“Laxman is fit and will definitely be playing,” chairman of selectors
Krish Srikkanth told reporters ahead of the decisive Test which starts
at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.
India, who lost the first Test in Nagpur by an innings and six runs,
need a series-levelling win to retain their top spot in the
International Cricket Council’s Test rankings.
Finger injury
Laxman, 35, missed the Nagpur match after a finger injury sustained
during last month’s tour of Bangladesh failed to mend in time.
With star batsmen Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh ruled out of the
series with injuries, Laxman was sorely missed in Nagpur as India
crashed for 233 and 319 in reply to South Africa’s 558-6 declared.
Laxman has scored 6,993 runs in 109 Tests at an average of 45.70 with 14
centuries.
Specialist
India were forced to play rookie wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha as a
specialist batsman in Nagpur after Rohit Sharma, the first-choice
replacement for Laxman, got injured just before the toss.
Saha, who made 0 and 36, has been dropped for the Kolkata Test and
replaced in the 15-man squad by the more experienced Dinesh Karthik.
NEW DELHI, Thursday AFP
India’s squad for second Test: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt),
Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Sachin Tendulkar,
Venkatsai Laxman, Subramaniam Badrinath, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra,
Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha,
Dinesh Karthik, Suresh Raina. |