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Dravid injury worry for India

India's wicketkeeper-batsman Rahul Dravid is doubtful for the second one-day international against a resurgent West Indies on Saturday because of a back strain.

Dravid suffered a stiff back during India's narrow defeat in the first match of a seven-game series in Jamshedpur on Wednesday.

The 17-year-old Parthiv Patel, who impressed in the recent Test series, has been called up as cover and will make his one-day debut if Dravid does not recover.

Dravid, the team's leading batsman alongside Sachin Tendulkar and captain Sourav Ganguly, took over the demanding job earlier this year to allow India to play an extra batsman as they prepare for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

Tendulkar (hamstring) and left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan (knee) had already been ruled out of the one-day series because of injuries.

The injuries will be only part of the team's worries after the West Indies reached a stiff target of 284 in Jamshedpur, youngster Ramnaresh Sarwan capping his career-best 83 not out by lashing the last ball of the match for four.

A defeat for the home side had looked more certain when crowd trouble at Jamshedpur forced play to be halted briefly before both teams came out to finish the game.

The International Cricket Council has asked match referee Mike Procter for his report on the disturbances, which has raised fears of more trouble from passionate home fans if India fail to deliver.

CUP EXPERIMENTS

Both Ganguly and coach John Wright said they would continue to experiment as they bid to find the right combination for the World Cup in February-March.

Their ploy to send in all-rounder Ajit Agarkar at number three paid off as he hit a career-best 95 as pinch-hitter, but debutant Jaiprakash Yadav failed to impress.

"We are looking for a bowling all-rounder just to help the balance of the side," Wright said, adding that India's tour of New Zealand, where they are set to play seven one-dayers, will help sort out their options. Wright warned his players not to take West Indies lightly despite their heavy defeats in the Test series.

"This is a good series. West Indies is an under-rated one-day side," he said.

BATTING UPSURGE

West Indies skipper Carl Hooper was pleased his batsmen had rediscovered their touch after struggling during their 2-0 defeat in the Test series.

Sarwan's heroics in Jamshedpur came after opener Wavell Hinds top-scored with 93 and a polished 51 by young Marlon Samuels, the last two also having struck centuries in the drawn third Test alongside Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

"We wanted to ensure a good start in the one-dayers and we have done that," Hooper said. "We obviously needed a kick-start.

"After losing the first two Tests, we have been playing well and we should continue to extend that as long as possible," he said.

Hooper, a stylish player of spin who was expected to shine in slow sub-continent pitches, said he was not too worried he was yet to pass 50 on the tour.

"It is not a major concern," he said. "The concern is we got to win games, approaching the World Cup."

But Hooper has been nursing a sore right knee throughout the series as the visitors struggle with a number of injuries.

Team manager Ricky Skerritt said fast bowlers Cameron Cuffy, who missed the first match because of a hamstring strain, and left-armer Pedro Collins, nursing a back problem, would have to pass fitness tests on Saturday to be considered for the match.

Teams (from):
India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Ajit Agarkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Jaiprakash Yadav.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs, Vasbert Drakes, Mervyn Dillon, Cameron Cuffy, Pedro Collins, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Corey Collymore.

Umpires: Asoka DeSilva and K.Hariharan.
TV umpire: Arani Jayaprakash.

Quick comment: Opportunity to experiment

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