Yuvraj, Agarkar fit to play in must-win tie Tuesday, February 13, 2007 06:30 [IST]
Margao: India
received a big boost ahead of the third cricket one-dayer against Sri Lanka
with batsman Yuvraj Singh and all-rounder Ajit Agarkar being declared fit for
the must-win game which gives some of the struggling World Cup team members
another chance to regain their touch.
Yuvraj and Agarkar, who had to sit out of the first two matches of the
four-match series, have recovered completely from niggling injuries and
sickness to be drafted in the shorlisted 12 for the game which the hosts need
to win to keep themselves afloat.
Irfan Pathan, who has still not recoverd from a sore shoulder which forced him
to stay out of the first two matches, has still not recovered from the niggle
and will again be confined to the dressing room.
The Indian team management have also decided to rest paceman S
Sreesanth while veteran spinner Anil Kumble has pulled out because
of personal reasons.
"Except that Irfan is still not 100 per cent fit, most of the players have
recovered well and that is a good sign for us," captain Rahul Dravid said.
"In the last couple of games, Yuvraj had back spasms. But he is much
better now and had fielded and batted. He is fit enough to be considered in the
12," said Dravid, adding that Sourav Ganguly, who hurt his thumb while
fielding in the slips in Rajkot,
was also fully fit.
With the shock five-run defeat in Rajkot
still fresh in their minds, Dravid has promised that his team will not make the
same mistakes which allowed the Sri Lankans to win the match.
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