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 cricket game which gives some of the struggling
Cricket World Cup 2007 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 shortlisted 12 for the game which the hosts need
to win to keep themselves afloat.
Irfan Pathan, who has still not recovered 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 cricket team management has 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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