CALCUTTA, 28 September 2004 — India captain Saurav Ganguly said yesterday he was hopeful star batsman Sachin Tendulkar would regain fitness before the four-Test series against Australia. “The first Test is still nine days away and if he gets fit even a day or two before the match, he will play. And I’m hopeful,” Ganguly told reporters.
The opening Test begins in Bangalore on Oct. 6. “When a player like Sachin is missing it makes a big difference,” the Indian skipper said. Tendulkar is doubtful for the opening Test because of an elbow injury. He has already missed a triangular One-Day series in the Netherlands, a three-match series against England and the ICC Champions Trophy.
Meanwhile, India’s Supreme Court yesterday said it would hear a petition by a television network against the nation’s cricket board raising further concerns over the upcoming home series against Australia.
The hearing by a five-judge bench on the petition filed by Zee Telefilms against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would commence today. Zee is seeking to overturn the board’s decision to cancel telecast rights thatthe network insists were fairly awarded to it for the next four years. The Supreme Court also issued notice to the federal government, the BCCI and pan-Asian network ESPN-Star Sports to attend today’s hearing, the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.
Pakistan Retain Moin, Drop Farhat for Tri-Series
Pakistan retained experienced but out of form wicketkeeper-batsman Moin Khan and axed opener Imran Farhat and all-rounder Azhar Mahmood for their home tri-series, Pakistan Cricket Board announced in Lahore yesterday. Pakistan face Asian champions Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe in a tri-series One-Day tournament between Sept. 30 and Oct. 16. They meet Zimbabwe on Thursday.
The 33-year-old Moin’s batting form was miserable on an England tour. He failed to score against Australia in a one-day before scoring 10 and 0 in the two games he played in the ICC Champions Trophy.
Opener Farhat was dropped from the 15-man squad for the tri-series after he fared poorly on tours of Holland and England. The selectors have included two uncapped players, batsman Bazid Khan and paceman Rao Iftikhar, and recalled batsman Misbahul Haq.
Squad: Inzamam-ul Haq (captain), Shahid Afridi, Yasir Hameed, Salman Butt, Bazid Khan, Shoaib Malik, Yousuf Youhana, Moin Khan, Misbahul Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Younis Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Rana Naveedul Hassan, Rao Iftikhar.
Sri Lanka Drop Malinga for Pakistan Tri-Series
Sri Lanka’s cricket selectors yesterday left out paceman Lasith Malinga from the 15-man squad for the limited-overs series in Pakistan starting on Thursday. Malinga, who has played in four one-dayers, was the only player to be dropped from the team that played in the Champions Trophy in England earlier this month.
Left-handed batsman Thilina Kandamby and left-arm spinner Rangana Herath were included in the squad, which is without star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan who is recovering from a shoulder injury. Sri Lanka is also scheduled to play two Test matches against Pakistan.
Sri Lanka’s squad: Marvan Atapattu (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Saman Jayantha, Avishka Gunawardene, Farveez Maharoof, Chaminda Vaas, Upul Chandana, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando, Thilina Kandamby, Rangana Herath, Kaushal Lokuarachchi.
