Indian cricketers warm up to take on Lankans in ODI series

BANGALORE—Indian cricketers, under new skipper Rahul Dravid, began training at a three-day conditioning camp in Bangalore on Wednesday for the one day home series against Sri Lanka starting October 25.
Besides Dravid, star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who is back in the team after a gap of 14 months, is also attending the camp under their strict coach Greg Chappell.
Tendulkar, who underwent surgery on his left elbow in May, was included in the 15-strong squad for the first two games of the series despite only making 12, 4 and 22 in this week’s return in a domestic one-day series.
Tendulkar’s last international appearance was in the final one-dayer of a six-match home series against Pakistan in April, which the visitors won 4-2. The surgery forced the Mumbai cricketer to skip a tri-series in Sri Lanka in July-August as well as a subsequent tour of Zimbabwe.
The selectors have also inducted fresh faces keeping the 2007 World Cup in mind.
The appointment of Dravid, one of the finest batsmen in the game, also appears to have been made with the same intention.
Former skipper Saurav Ganguly was sacked after a batting slump and an elbow injury. His public spat with coach Chappell too did not aid his cause.
India has not won a tournament featuring more than two teams since a triangular series in England in 2002. The seven-match Sri Lanka series is followed by a five-match series against South Africa from November 16.—Agencies