Harbhajan to replace injured Kumble

India will bring in off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for injured Anil Kumble as the only change in the team that take on West Indies in the deciding fifth Test at Kingston starting on Saturday.

The series is tied 1-1 and the Kingston match could decide if India clinch their first Test series win in the Caribbean since 1971 or West Indies bounce back from two straight Test series losses.

"There are likely to be hardly any changes in the team," Indian captain Sourav Ganguly told Reuters on Thursday. "Harbhajan Singh will come into the side for Kumble."

The leg-break bowler had to return to India for surgery midway through the fourth Test at Antigua after a rising delivery from paceman Mervyn Dillon fractured his jaw.

The 31-year-old from Bangalore bravely bowled 14 overs on Sunday despite being wreathed in bandages but flew back home on Monday due to doctors' advice.

"We really missed Anil in the remainder of the Test," Ganguly said. "He was bowling so well and could have certainly made a difference."

Kumble is India's most successful bowler with 319 wickets in 70 Tests.

The Antigua Test finished in a dreary draw with India piling up 513 for nine in their first innings and West Indies responding with 629 for nine as only 18 wickets fell in five days on a good batting wicket.

EXCELLENT BOWLER

"Harbhajan is an excellent bowler, with lots of tricks up his sleeve. We know he can make a difference in the side," Ganguly said.

The 21-year-old bowler from Punjab had shot into the limelight after grabbing 32 Australian wickets to lead India to a stunning 2-1 home series win last year.

India, who have toyed with three different opening partners for Shiv Sundar Das in this series, have finally settled for Wasim Jaffer after his two consecutive half-centuries in Barbados and Antigua.

The 24-year-old from Bombay notched up a career-best 86 at the Antigua Recreation Ground last week to cement his place in the side.

India had opened with wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta in the first drawn Test at Georgetown and with all-rounder Sanjay Bangar in their 37-run win at Trinidad.

MAIDEN CENTURY

India's wicketkeeping problems have also been firmly and finally solved with Ajay Ratra notching up his maiden Test century at Antigua after almost being left out of the match for Dasgupta due to his poor form with the bat.

The 20-year-old ended a run of 0, 2, 1, 13 with an unbeaten 115, a hallmark of which was his inclination to play shots freely.

He ended up with the man-of-the-match award in a game that also saw Vangipurappu Laxman, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul score hundreds.

West Indies, who had bowled India out for 102 while winning the second Test at Barbados by 10 wickets, could bring leg-spinner Dinanath Ramnarine into the side.

Teams:

India - Sourav Ganguly (captain), Shiv Sundar Das, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Ajay Ratra (wicketkeeper), Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra.

West Indies - Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Svivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs (wicketkeeper), Mervyn Dillon, Pedro Collins, Dinanath Ramnarine, Camron Cuffy, Adam Sanford, Ryan Hinds.

Mail Cricket Editor