Danny
01-01-2008, 11:51 PM
Zaheer has a problem with his "landing heel'' which gave him trouble in the series with Pakistan.
He has had an MRI in a sydney - no results released. Related to his plantar fascia.
Zaheer is likely to miss Test
By Peter Lalor
January 02, 2008
INDIA's best fast bowler Zaheer Khan will almost certainly miss today's second Test at the SCG after a foot injury flared up late Tuesday.
The paceman, who dismissed Ricky Ponting with the best delivery of the MCG Test, would be a huge loss to a team which is already 1-0 down in the series.
India will call on all-rounder Irfan Pathan or Ishant Sharma to replace Khan. The latter took five wickets on a flat track against Pakistan last month while the former brings batting ability to the team but has not been in form with the ball.
Zaheer missed the last Test of the Pakistan series with a tear to the plantar fascia muscle in the foot and the new injury is related to that.
He was taken to a specialist last night and India hopes to reassess his condition in the morning, but team management is not optimistic about his chances of playing.
It was the news India captain Anil Kumble did not want to hear after being forced to take flustered batsman Rahul Dravid aside and encourage him to relax for the Sydney Test.
The veteran was frozen and almost unable to score in two innings as an opener at the MCG but Kumble seems to believe that if Dravid frees his mind, runs will follow.
The captain defended his decision to give the team some time off after a heavy defeat in Melbourne.
"For some people it feels that the more time you spend on the field the better you are prepared," Kumble said. "For some people it feels that you need a bit of a break, to relax and think about what went wrong.
"I am someone who has played this game and who understands what it takes. It was important for us to switch off and think about all the positive things we have done in the past.
"One hit in the net extra will not make you a better player or not having a practice session will not make you a bad player. It's all in the mind at this level."
The Indians had a training session at the SCG after a harbour cruise in Sydney the night before to bring in the new year.
Batsman Sourav Ganguly has been sick since Melbourne with a cold and fever but Kumble said he would be ready for today's match.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he thought the Indians would bring Virender Sehwag into the top order at the expense of Wasim Jaffer.
"It wouldn't surprise me if they make a couple of changes to their side," Ponting said. "I thought long and hard about that. It wouldn't surprise me if they bring Sehwag in and leave Jaffer out. That's what I'm thinking might happen.
"(India will) probably try to take a bit of the scoring pressure off Dravid so he can go about his business."
When asked about Jaffer's place at the top of the order Kumble was noncommittal.
"I'll leave it 50-50," he said.
Kumble would not speculate about selection but did elaborate when asked what Sehwag would bring to the team if he were included.
"He looked good from what we've seen of him in the nets," Kumble said.
"His progression has been good. He was a bit under the weather a couple of days in Melbourne during the Test match but he's fine.
"In terms of his form, that is something we really are not too concerned about as he's hitting the ball well.
"He is in the scheme of things so we will assess everything and see which is the best possible way to go.
"He definitely brings in that positive, attacking approach to our batting."
Sehwag has been out of form and played only one Test in the past 12 months.
The other option is Dinesh Karthik, who scored freely as an opener in 2007 before hitting a bad patch in the Pakistan series and losing his place.
India gambled by moving out-of-form No3 batsman Dravid up to the opening position in Melbourne but it did not pay off.
Kumble said Sehwag brings a "carefree" attitude to a batting line-up he thought was "uptight" in Melbourne.
"They need to play their natural game," he said.
Kumble denied there was speculation about Dravid's position in the team.
"He needs to relax," Kumble said. "I did have a chat with him. He is aware of that and I am sure he will be able to go out and bat the way he does."
He has had an MRI in a sydney - no results released. Related to his plantar fascia.
Zaheer is likely to miss Test
By Peter Lalor
January 02, 2008
INDIA's best fast bowler Zaheer Khan will almost certainly miss today's second Test at the SCG after a foot injury flared up late Tuesday.
The paceman, who dismissed Ricky Ponting with the best delivery of the MCG Test, would be a huge loss to a team which is already 1-0 down in the series.
India will call on all-rounder Irfan Pathan or Ishant Sharma to replace Khan. The latter took five wickets on a flat track against Pakistan last month while the former brings batting ability to the team but has not been in form with the ball.
Zaheer missed the last Test of the Pakistan series with a tear to the plantar fascia muscle in the foot and the new injury is related to that.
He was taken to a specialist last night and India hopes to reassess his condition in the morning, but team management is not optimistic about his chances of playing.
It was the news India captain Anil Kumble did not want to hear after being forced to take flustered batsman Rahul Dravid aside and encourage him to relax for the Sydney Test.
The veteran was frozen and almost unable to score in two innings as an opener at the MCG but Kumble seems to believe that if Dravid frees his mind, runs will follow.
The captain defended his decision to give the team some time off after a heavy defeat in Melbourne.
"For some people it feels that the more time you spend on the field the better you are prepared," Kumble said. "For some people it feels that you need a bit of a break, to relax and think about what went wrong.
"I am someone who has played this game and who understands what it takes. It was important for us to switch off and think about all the positive things we have done in the past.
"One hit in the net extra will not make you a better player or not having a practice session will not make you a bad player. It's all in the mind at this level."
The Indians had a training session at the SCG after a harbour cruise in Sydney the night before to bring in the new year.
Batsman Sourav Ganguly has been sick since Melbourne with a cold and fever but Kumble said he would be ready for today's match.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting said he thought the Indians would bring Virender Sehwag into the top order at the expense of Wasim Jaffer.
"It wouldn't surprise me if they make a couple of changes to their side," Ponting said. "I thought long and hard about that. It wouldn't surprise me if they bring Sehwag in and leave Jaffer out. That's what I'm thinking might happen.
"(India will) probably try to take a bit of the scoring pressure off Dravid so he can go about his business."
When asked about Jaffer's place at the top of the order Kumble was noncommittal.
"I'll leave it 50-50," he said.
Kumble would not speculate about selection but did elaborate when asked what Sehwag would bring to the team if he were included.
"He looked good from what we've seen of him in the nets," Kumble said.
"His progression has been good. He was a bit under the weather a couple of days in Melbourne during the Test match but he's fine.
"In terms of his form, that is something we really are not too concerned about as he's hitting the ball well.
"He is in the scheme of things so we will assess everything and see which is the best possible way to go.
"He definitely brings in that positive, attacking approach to our batting."
Sehwag has been out of form and played only one Test in the past 12 months.
The other option is Dinesh Karthik, who scored freely as an opener in 2007 before hitting a bad patch in the Pakistan series and losing his place.
India gambled by moving out-of-form No3 batsman Dravid up to the opening position in Melbourne but it did not pay off.
Kumble said Sehwag brings a "carefree" attitude to a batting line-up he thought was "uptight" in Melbourne.
"They need to play their natural game," he said.
Kumble denied there was speculation about Dravid's position in the team.
"He needs to relax," Kumble said. "I did have a chat with him. He is aware of that and I am sure he will be able to go out and bat the way he does."