The Indian cricket team, sans newly-married skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni [ Images ], will leave for Sri Lanka [ Images ] from Chennai on Friday to play three Tests and a tri-nation ODI series starting July 18.

Pacer duo of S Sreesanth [ Images ] and Abhimanyu Mithun [ Images ], who replaces the injured Zaheer Khan [ Images ], arrived in the city, while Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ] will be reaching in the evening. 

"Tendulkar missed his morning flight and is expected to arrive hear in 7:15 in the evening," according to the airport authorities here.

Other Indian players will be arriving here in batches and cricketers from northern region, including vice-captain Virender Sehwag [ Images ], Gautam Gambhir [ Images ], Yuvraj Singh [ Images ] and Harbhajan Singh [ Images ], are expected to arrive at 10:30pm before leaving by the Sri Lankan Airlines on Friday.

Dhoni, who recently got married to childhood friend Sakshi Singh Rawat, will be reaching Sri Lanka directly. 

Incidentally, a function to honour Chennai Super Kings [ Images ] title triumph in IPL III and to extend honorary membership to Dhoni for his achievements as captain of India [ Images ] and CSK is slated to be organised here tomorrow night by Madras Cricket Club inside the Chepauk stadium.