India skipper Anil Kumble said wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel will replace butterfingered Dinesh Karthick in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka, beginning on Friday.
Parthiv, who played his last international match against Australia in the 2004 Nagpur Test will make a comeback to the team following Karthick's disappointing showing in the last two Test matches.
"Parthiv Patel comes in place of Dinesh Karthick," Kumble told reporters at the pre-match press conference.
As India's middle order has been a cause of concern for their below-par show in the first two matches, Kumble admitted it is time for the batsmen to fire on all cylinders.
"Coach Gary Kirsten will be missed but we have enough players to get going. We are under control of the situation. We have done everything to comeback in the Test match. It is a great feeling that we won a match without the help of the middle order. The middle order is due for a big score," he added.
Kumble said it is vital to get good partnerships in both bowling and batting to win the deciding Test of the series.
"Partnerships are important for batting or bowling. In batting, openers Virender Sehwag got a double century and Gautam Gambhir played a crucial part in the last match," he said.
"In the bowling department, Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh bowled well, so there were partnerships; cricket is all about partnerships," he said.
While his spin partner Harbhajan Singh has been consistently taking wickets, Kumble was that lucky. But the lanky spinner said he is happy with his form and hopeful of a better performance in the next match.
"I am happy with my form, hopefully I will deliver with some good spells in tomorrow's match. It will be great to win this match. The wicket is hard," Kumble said.
© 2025