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Injury forces Ramesh out

Sadagoppan Ramesh will miss the first Test against the visiting South Africans at the Wankhede Stadium in Bombay.

Honorary secretary Jaywant Lele announced the news after he received a fax from Ramesh last evening expressing his unavailability for the three-day Board President's match against the Proteas at the Brabourne stadium in Bombay on Saturday.

Ramesh had injured his finger during the second Test against Australia at Melbourne after a short delivery from Damien Fleming severely damaged his finger while batting in the second innings.

Speaking from his residence in Madras, Ramesh sounded disappointed but said he did not want to carry an injury into the match in the team's interest.

"I want to perform and if I think I am not ready for it yet, it makes more sense to wait for the second Test," said Ramesh.

"I am unable to force the ball. I can't cut or play my cover drives as well as the off-drives. I can only flick the ball," he added.

The Mardas southpaw had a pin inserted in his finger and after it was removed on the 12th of this month, was in pain for the next three days, unable to even hold the bat.

He however exuded confidence and said he will be back for the second Test at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy stadium on March 2.

The story according to sources is that Ramesh would have been fit to play in the first Test but the honorary secretary had insisted that players who failed to play in the Board President's XI - South Africa match, for whatever reasons, would not be considered for the first Test.

Fearing that he would be dropped for the rest of the series as well, Ramesh was forced to withdraw.

In the circumstances, there will be no replacement for Ramesh. One of the local players will join the Board President's team.

Medium pacer T Kumaran failed to make it to the team practice session today as his flight was late by five-and-a-half hours. He reached Bombay at six this evening and joined the team at the Taj Mahal hotel.