India looking to maintain
winning run
Looking to maintain their supremacy over Zimbabwe in the shorter version of the game, India have
opted for a strong batting side and enhanced the
bowling attack by including young all-rounder Reetinder Sodhi
for the first one-day international starting in Cuttack on Saturday.
After the hosts took the two-Test series 1-0 with a brutal
show of batting prowess, captain Saurav Ganguly on Friday named a
12-member side, leaving S Sriram and off-spinner Nikhil Chopra
out, after the team had practice at the lush green environs of
the Barabati Stadium.
Going by the look of the team compostion, the enthusiastic
cricket lovers, who clamoured for tickets causing unruly
scenes that rocked the state assembly, will have a feast as
Ganguly opens the innings with maestro Sachin Tendulkar.
Ganguly was forthright in naming the first ten including
junior World Cup winning star Sodhi. This leaves in-form Shiv
Sunder Das, who has played responsible knocks since he made
his Test debut in Dhaka, to fight for the 11th spot with
left-hander Hemang Badani.
If selected, Das will come lower
down the order to further strengthen Indian batting.
Das's possible inclusion has heightened the interest among
the local followers of the game as the Orissa opener is just
fresh from his century knock at Nagpur.
The Indians were not willing to take a victory against the tourists in the tie on Friday for granted despite having beaten
them in the last two encounters -- at the Sharjah tri-nation
tournament.
Mail Cricket Editor
