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India send strong team for limited overs:
Tendulkar will be missed
Elmo RODRIGOPULLE
The Indian selectors have named quite a strong side to play Sri Lanka
in Five One-Day Internationals, but it would have disappointed cricket
fans here not to see the name of the famed Sachin Tendulkar in the
15-man squad.
The Indians are slated to play five One Day games and a Twenty20 with
the first game in Hambantota on July 21. Tendulkar, who has scored a
century of centuries in both forms of the game is a draw card wherever
he plays. Cricket fans here were eagerly waiting to watch the great
master in action.
Not quitting
But at 39 and still no intention of quitting the game, Tendulkar must
be taking it easy, with a lot more cricket ahead of him.
Another draw card Mahendra Singh Dhoni will lead the team with Virat
Kohli as Vice Captain. Another player who excelled in the Indian Premier
League hard hitting Ajinkya Rahane will need watching.
The squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt), Virat Kohli (Vice
Capt),Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma,
Ravichandra Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Umesh Yadav, AshokDinda,
Vinay Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Manoj Tivari and Rahul Sharma.
Mahela accepts responsibility
To the drawn second Test between Sri Lank and Pakistan at the SSC
ground on Wednesday and at the end of match media conference Sri Lanka
skipper Mahela Jayawardena, took responsibility by admitting that he did
wrong in asking Pakistan to bat first after winning the toss.
‘I nearly paid the price’, he said. But what must be appreciated is
that he took responsibility. It was not only his decision. It was a
collective call. But when others would want to shirk responsibility,
Jayawardena stood up.
Purpose lost
He would have wished to have three to four Pakistan wickets,before
lunch after asking the Pakistanis to bat. But when that did not
materialize, the purpose was lost.
Jayawardena also praised Tillekerane Dilshan and Kuma Sangakkara for
their centuries and was happy the way Angelo Matthews batted.
As for the Pakistanis he admired the bowling of Junaid Khan. A left
arm pace bowler, Khan bowled a good line and length and moved the ball
both ways and always looked threatening.
The third and final Test between the two countries begins in
Pallekelle on Sunday. |
