Back injury - Sreesanth

Sreesanth fears he has entered the most difficult phase of his career after he was told four days ago by doctors in Sydney that a stress fracture of his lower back had ruled him out of international cricket for the next three months.

The Indian fast bowler, who has not played international cricket for the last 11 months due to various injuries, has been ruled out of the IPL next month and is now almost certain to miss the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in England in June.

"I have never been through anything like this in my life before," Sreesanth said from Sydney. "It's been a year now since I have been hit by a series of injuries and it's just too bizarre. But I don't want to think about anything else just now except to focus on my recovery. Tournaments come and go, and I am not going to sit in a corner and worry about missing them. All I need to focus on is to get fit again."

Sreesanth, who had established himself as one of India's leading strike bowlers within a year of his Test debut in 2006, first suffered a left side strain during the last IPL in May 2008. Subsequently, he developed a second injury that was initially diagnosed as a "stiff back".

He was cleared to play domestic cricket in December, after undergoing a rehabilitation stint at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore, and carried on till the Duleep Trophy final in February - however, he looked far from his best, unable at times to execute his full, natural action or his run-up.

"It was devastating to be told that I had been carrying this injury for almost five months," Sreesanth said. "But in a way, I am happy too that the injury has been diagnosed. There was always this niggling pain down in the back even after I was cleared to play last year. But I was told by experts in India that I was perfectly alright and was just not mentally tough enough to play again. They questioned my mental strength and commitment and even I started doubting myself. But now, I have my answer."

Sreesanth says the first step to recovery happened when he got in touch with Patrick Farhart, the physio of his IPL team (Kings XI Punjab). "He asked me to come to Sydney for assessment and then took me through an exhaustive check-up, including a bone scan and an MRI scan," he said. "Clearly, there was a stress fracture in the lower back (L2). Now I am following Patrick's recovery schedule."

Sreesanth now hopes that his "faith in god" and "amazing support" from friends, including Brett Lee, his IPL bowling partner, will see him through the present crisis. "Lee and Mitchell Johnson are the two guys who have come back from similar injuries and still done extremely well," he said. "So that's an inspiration. Brett has always been a good friend, and he has been particularly helpful here. He has worked out with me, and spoken to me a lot, mostly about keeping the faith and believing in oneself during such situations."

Sreesanth says he has been told that his international career - stuck since last April at 14 Tests and 50 wickets - hinges on how well he manages the recovery, and not how quickly he does it. "That's why I am going to play safe now," he said. "I am not going to rush back like I have done before and spoil it all again. But I will be back because I know my best is yet to come."

Jayawardene quits as Sri Lanka cricket captain

Mahela Jayawardene on Wednesday decided to step down as Sri Lanka's cricket captain after the upcoming Tests in Pakistan, saying he was doing it "in the best interests" of the team.

"This is something I have been considering for some time as it has been my long-held belief that my successor should have at least 18 months in the job to imprint his vision on the team for the 2011 World Cup," Jayawardene, 31, said in a statement.

Jayawardene's decision to quit came after India completed a 4-1 rout of Sri Lanka in a recent one-day series, although he did not mention this as a factor.

The middle-order batsman, who led Sri Lanka for the first time in April 2004, did not play in Tuesday's Twenty20 international here, which India won by three wickets.

"After much thought, I have concluded that the right time has now come for fresh leadership to takeover," said Jayawardene, who was named the International Cricket Council's captain of the year in 2006.

"It was not an easy decision to make because being the Sri Lanka captain has been the source of enormous pride. I am very grateful to have been granted the honour of leading the team."

Jayawardene however made it clear he was not quitting the team altogether.

"I look forward now to extending my full support to my successor and hope to play a major part in the team's success during coming years as a batsman," he added.

Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Duleep Mendis said Jayawardene's resignation had been accepted, but no decision had been taken on the new captain.

Kumar Sangakkara, the current vice-captain and Jayawardene's close friend, was likely to take over as skipper, local media speculated.

Jayawardene, in an interview with Cricinfo last year, said Sangakkara would make a good captain.

"Kumar is definitely a suitable person to lead Sri Lanka," he said in the interview.

"His knowledge of the game and his approach is brilliant. He has been a brilliant deputy too. We talk a lot about planning and strategising, so there is not much difference in our thinking, which is very important.

"If I suddenly lose the hunger to lead then ideally Kumar should take over."

Jayawardene guided Sri Lanka to the World Cup final in the West Indies in 2007, where they lost to Australia.

He captained Sri Lanka in 26 Tests, winning 15, losing seven with four draws.

In 94 one-day internationals under him, Sri Lanka won 54 and lost 35 while the rest ended in no-results.

The first Test in Pakistan will be played in Karachi from February 21-25, while the second and final match will be played in Lahore from March 1-5.

Jayawardene to quit as Sri Lanka captain

Mahela Jayawardene is to stand down as Sri Lanka captain after the Pakistan tour. Jayawardene, who has led Sri Lanka since February 2006, announced his decision after a meeting with the national cricket selectors.

He presided over a 4-1 loss to India in a one-day series that ended last week and told selectors the time was right to hand over the captaincy so his successor would have time to prepare the team for the 2011 World Cup.

"In the best interests of the Sri Lanka team, I have decided to stand down as Sri Lanka captain after this Pakistan tour," Jayawardene said. "This is something I have been considering for some time as it has been my long-held belief that my successor should have at least 18 months in the job to imprint his vision on the team for the 2011 World Cup."

He led Sri Lanka in 26 Test matches and 97 one-dayers and was Sri Lanka's most successful captain with a win percentage of 62.50% in Tests and 57% in one-day internationals.

"After much thought, I have concluded that the right time has now come for fresh leadership to take over," he said. "It was not an easy decision to make because being Sri Lanka national captain has been the source of enormous pride. I am very grateful to have been granted the honour of leading the team during the last three years.

"I look forward now to extending my full support to my successor and hope to play a major part in the team's success during the coming years as a batsman," he said.

Sri Lanka play two Tests against Pakistan with the first beginning in Karachi on 21 February. The second is slated to be held in Lahore from 1 March.

India seal dramatic win

India completed a victorious tour with a three-wicket win against Sri Lanka in a Twenty20 international on Wednesday. Set 172 for victory in 20 overs, India overcame a mid-innings collapse to secure a dramatic win thanks to a brilliant eighth stand between brothers Yusuf and Irfan Pathan. With India slumping to 115 for seven as leg spinner Malinga Bandara claimed 3 for 32, the two Pathan's rescued India with an unbroken 59-run stand in just 25 balls. Irfan Pathan smashed 33 from 16 deliveries with two sixes and Yusuf stroked 22 in 10 balls with two sixes and one four. India, who also won the one-day series 4-1, clinched victory with four balls to spare with Irfan swinging a huge six over mid-wicket. Sri Lanka's stand-in captain Tillakaratne Dilshan top-scored for the hosts with 61 from 47 balls, an innings that included seven fours and one six. Dilshan was provided early support from fellow opener Sanath Jayasuriya, who crashed 33 from just 17 balls with two sixes, helping add 59 for the first wicket in 5.5 overs. Off spinner Yusuf Pathan was India's best bowler, taking two for 23 from four economical overs in the middle of the innings. India started their run chase badly, slumping to 14 for two, but Yuvraj Singh (32) and Suresh Raina (35) regained the initiative with a 67-run stand. Part-time off spinner Jehan Mubarak dragged Sri Lanka back into the game dismissing Yuvraj. Sri Lanka looked to be heading for victory as Jayasuriya bowled a miserly spell, taking 1 for 10 from three overs, as India crashed from 81 for 2 to 115 for 7. However, the Pathan brothers finished off the match with a thrilling partnership.

The Pathan brothers fired India to victory

India needed 57 runs from 29 deliveries when Irfan Pathan joined his brother Yusuf in the middle. Yusuf, the big hitter who bowls a bit of useful offspin, is not yet a permanent fixture in India's one-day side. Plenty has been said about Irfan - critics cite his ineffective bowling on subcontinent pitches - and it appears he is struggling to identify his predominant vocation.

What followed was stirring stuff. Irfan and Yusuf plundered 59 runs off 25 balls and India posted a rousing three-wicket win with four balls to spare.

Throughout this tour, Muttiah Muralitharan has been taunting Yusuf on and off the field. "Why don't you hit me?" has often been the central jibe. Yusuf reminded him about the IPL final, when he took on Murali but was told that the pitch didn't turn. Tonight, there was no Murali and more importantly, the team situation demanded Yusuf to hit out. And he did.

"The ball had suddenly started to turn and rotating the strike was difficult," Mahendra Singh Dhoni said about the pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium. Yusuf got a little help from Tillakaratne Dilshan who threw the ball to legspinner Malinga Bandara. Cue two sixes and a four in the 16th over, and equation had quickly changed to 40 from 24 balls.

When quizzed about those monster hits at the post-match ceremony, Yusuf said they had all been in his slot. It was as if he had no excuse. He just had to hit the cover off the ball, with no offence to Bandara. As Dhoni said, Yusuf has licence to hit: "We really don't want him to rotate the strike; we want him to look for the big shots."

It wasn't all just brute force, however. Yusuf showed that behind that expressionless exterior, there was a smart brain clicking. After that expensive over from Bandara, Dilshan didn't turn back to spin, and Yusuf coolly picked singles to hand the strike over to his younger brother. Responding to the pressure admirably, Irfan unfurled some gems of his own against Dilhara Fernando and Lasith Malinga. Irfan is a better player of seam bowling and Yusuf can murder spin. It was a perfect tango.

Since the ICC World Twenty20 in 2007, Dhoni has looked at Yusuf as a long-term prospect for the No. 7 slot in ODI cricket. "Even if he had not scored in this game," said Dhoni, "we believe in his talent and will give him chances."

In the field, Yusuf had starred with the ball too, chipping in with a tidy four overs for 2 for 23. It wasn't mesmerising bowling - Yusuf's brand of offspin isn't going to inspire a young boy to turn his arm over - but it was effective. As Dhoni said, "He is not a talented bowler in the sense that he doesn't have 100 variations. He will be a tight bowler who can be useful for four to five overs."

Yusuf does indeed fit perfectly into the new Indian way of bowling a slew of slow bowlers in the middle overs between the bowling and batting Powerplays.

If this series has been a show of trust in Yusuf by the captain, this game could be the beginning of Irfan's second innings. His batting was never in doubt; it's his bowling that has to improve, though Dhoni defended his bowler. "It gets difficult for [the] one-change bowler," he said. "The ball doesn't do anything by then on these flat tracks. There is tremendous pressure. You have to take wickets and not give too many runs."

According to Dhoni, a rate of six-an-over for a bowler is reasonable in an age of powerplays. "What Irfan does is add stability when it comes to batting. Without Harbhajan Singh, we have a long tail." On this tour, including this game, Irfan has given away 149 runs from 120 balls at 7.45 runs per over. Clearly, if he has to cement a spot, his bowling will have to improve.

It will be interesting to see how the two brothers go from here. Yusuf will find pressure from Ravindra Jadeja, who is a good batsman and can bowl tidy spin; he was the highest wicket-taker this past Ranji season. Irfan is the preferred allrounder in conditions assisting seam but has been unable to find a regular place otherwise. Both brothers have been working hard in the nets, slogging it out to improve their respective arts. But as Dhoni said, the talent has to be tempered - "International cricket is not just about talent. It's what you do with it."

ICC confirms notification of IPL ban on Asif

The ICC on Wednesday confirmed that it had been notified of the Indian Premier League drugs tribunal’s decision to impose a one-year ban on Pakistan pacer Mohammad Asif for failing a dope test but refused comment, saying it still had to consider the “reasons” for the move.

The 26-year-old was banned for a year on Wednesday, months after testing positive for nandrolone during the IPL semifinals.

“The ICC has yet to consider the written reasons for the decision in the matter and will make no further comment at this stage other than to confirm its expectation that all Member Boards will adopt the ban and as such the player will not be available for official cricket until the ban has been completed,” the governing body said in a statement.

Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat reiterated the ICC’s zero tolerance policy toward dope offenders.

“As an international governing body, the ICC maintains a zero tolerance in the area of doping. We are proud of the fact that we have been testing at our events since 2002 and in that time we are yet to have an adverse analytical finding,” Lorgat said.

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka 1st Test - Christchurch - 1st day

Upul Tharanga led a charmed life, playing and missing often during his innings of 33
Chris Martin beat the bat a dozen times but was extremely unlucky during the morning session
Shane Bond rattled Sri Lanka with three early wickets

India drop to third in ODI rankings

India's 68-run defeat to Sri Lanka on Sunday cost them their second place in the latest ICC ODI rankings as they were overtaken by Australia after the World champions pulled off a thrilling win over New Zealand.

India lost two rating points to reduce to 120 while Australia (122) gained one point to their tally to overtake India, who are now back to third place after their brief stay at second spot behind top-ranker South Africa.

If Australia, who are on decline in the last few months, win their next two matches they will be tied at top spot with South Africa, although they will be still second if the rankings are calculated beyond decimal points.

India, who won the series 4-1 against Sri Lanka, will have the chance to regain their best-ever rankings of second spot during their tour of New Zealand, beginning later this month.

England's implosion is one for the books

West Indies' players celebrating after England's Andrew Strauss was caught out on the fourht of their test match at Sabina Park in Kingston. West Indies won by an innings and 32 runs

England suffered a historic humiliation over the weekend, as it was bowled out for only 51 runs by West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica - a collapse that turned a match that had been well balanced over its first three days into a massacre, with West Indies winning by an innings and 23 runs.

It was the third-lowest completed innings score by England in 880 test matches spread over 132 years. There is a strong case for arguing that it was its worst-ever batting performance.

Its lowest score ever, 45, was against Australia at Sydney in 1887, before touring teams were fully representative. While regarded retrospectively as a full England team, it was in reality a privately organized touring XI, and in any case went on to win the match by 13 runs.

When England was bowled out for 46 by West Indies in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, in 1994, the damage was done by two great fast bowlers, Courtney Walsh and the 6-foot-7 inch, or 2.01-meter, Curtly Ambrose, operating in conditions strongly in their favor.

Saturday was different. Batting was never easy on the first three days, but both teams topped 300 in their first innings. In the first part of the fourth day, Brendan Nash, playing only his third test, extended his innings for West Indies to 55 runs scored over four hours.

Nor is there anything apparently terribly formidable about the West Indies' bowling. Jerome Taylor's career average was nearly 35 runs per test wicket. Fidel Edwards averaged nearly 39. Left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn, playing only his fourth test, was well over 40. Taylor and Edwards were both valued at $150,000 in the Indian Premier League auction of players last week. Two England players, Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen, were sold for more than ten times that amount.

Yet Taylor produced the most devastating bowling of his career. He took five wickets for 11 runs, bowling Pietersen for one run, to slice through England's top order. At one stage England had lost six wickets for 23 runs and was in danger of setting a new record for the lowest score in test history, the 26 scored by New Zealand against England at Wellington in 1955.

It was saved, at least, from that crowning ignominy by Flintoff, who battled for 24 runs before he was ninth out, bowled by Edwards. Nobody else reached double figures.

The victory gave West Indies a 1-0 lead, with three of a series of four five-day test matches still to come.

England's was the 18th lowest score in test history. Only three lower scores, though, have been made in the past 50 years, a period that has seen three-quarters of all the tests ever played.

It was the lowest since England last visited Kingston in 2004. Then, it was West Indies that collapsed for 47. Fast bowler Steve Harmison, last man out on Saturday evening, produced the spell of his life to take seven wickets for 12 runs.

That rout was part of a run of 13 England victories in 16 matches against West Indies. That spell of West Indian futility is now ended, but it remains to be seen whether it can fully reverse its fortunes.

The victory Saturday gave it a 1-0 lead, with three of a series of four five-day test matches still to come.

West Indies has a habit of producing occasional superb performances - such as a victory over South Africa last year and a world-record run chase against Australia in 2003 - but failing to sustain that form.

There is, though, serious promise in the calmly relaxed captaincy of Chris Gayle (not to mention the sense of responsibility it has induced in his batting), in the obduracy of Nash and in Benn's spin-bowling. Taylor's spell may represent a breakthrough, just as Harmison's did in 2004, signaling a run of form that took the Englishman to the top of the world bowling rankings.

England will certainly consider changes. Batsman Owais Shah must surely get his chance, probably at the expense of Ian Bell. Spinner Monty Panesar failed to get anything like the response extracted from the Kingston pitch by the much less experienced Benn.

At least it has three matches in which to recover. And the next two, in Antigua and Barbados, are on islands where it can expect huge support from travelling England fans.

Sri Lanka win 5th ODI by 68 runs, India win series 4-1

India's record breaking sequence of nine consecutive ODI triumphs was brought to an end on Sunday by Sri Lanka who salvaged some pride with a consolation 68-run win in the fifth and final one-day Cricket match of the series which has already been clinched by the visitors.

The defeat means that India could not make a clean sweep of the series and had to be content with a 4-1 victory margin.

Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan missed a ton by just three runs and Kumar Sangakkara's hit 84 while spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan regained form just in time to avoid the series whitewash.

Half centuries by Yuvraj Singh (73), debutant Ravindra Jadeja (60 not out) and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (53) could not be enough as Indian top order failed to click and the visitors were rolled over with seven balls to spare in chase of Sri Lanka's challenging 320 for eight on a batting track.

The Indians went into the final match without key players like Sachin Tendulkar, Zaheer Khan and spinner Pragyan Ojha with the team management deciding to try out bench strength.

Yuvraj gave some stability to the run chase after his side was reduced to 85 for four inside the 15th over. India, however, struggled again after some time as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals on a day when nothing went right for them.

A cautious Dhoni and Jadeja only tried to delay the inevitable by putting on 55 runs off 66 balls for the seventh wicket.

Dhoni's effort included two massive sixes and a hit to the fence. He reached his 50 with a towering six. Jadeja's 77-ball knock was aided by four fours.

India round off the tour with a one-off Twenty20 international on February 10 before returning home next day.

The visitors got off to a shaky start with opener Virender Sehwag dismissed cheaply for six by Thilan Thushara on a poor shot after hitting the bowler for a four on the previous ball in the second over.

He was immediately followed by Suresh Raina, who was done in by an impeccable field placing by Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene in the third over and at that stage India were tottering at nine for two wickets in chase of a mammoth target.

The other opener Gautam Gambhir, who made 150 in the previous day-night affair, also buckled under pressure and was out for 13 off Nuwan Kulasekara, who got him caught by wicketkeeper Sangakkara in the ninth over. Rohit Sharma (15) then returned to pavilion in the 15th over.

Harbhajan Singh with uncharacteristic bashfulness, as he celebrates the award

Cricketer Harbhajan Singh is hardly bashful on the field, but after it was announced recently that he’s bagged the Padma Shri, Bhajji was asked when he might be getting a shrimati as well. And, at that, the cricketer blushed. “Ab wahi ek achievement reh gaya hai. I know the time has come for me to settle down and very soon, I’ll get this responsibility as well,” he says.

Till then, Bhajji’s quite ecstatic about the award. “I’m super thrilled. It is a matter of great honour for my family that the government has chosen me for this award, given that it is one of the foremost awards in the country.” Although the last year was kind of a mixed bag for Bhajji, he says that the award has come at the right time. “This award has been given to me taking into account my contribution to the game over all these years. This has put me in the elite club of all my seniors who got this before me, like Rahul bhai (Dravid), Sachin bhai (Tendulkar) and Anil bhai (Kumble).”

Does he think that it’s come too late in his career, though? He disagrees. “I think it’s never too late. I am satisfied that I was considered worthy of the recognition.” So, is it party time at his home? He laughs, “Not really. We’re a simple family. I’m away for so much of the year, and it is their sacrifices that have allowed me to achieve so much. I will have a quiet dinner with them to celebrate.”

Harbhajan dedicates Padma Shree to father

Jalandhar, Jan 26: Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Monday said he felt "honoured" at being chosen for the Padma Shree Award by the government of India and dedicated it to his late father.

Harbhajan and Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni are the two cricketers who will be conferred with the prestigious award.

"I am glad that I was selected for the prestigious award and it's really an honour for me," the Indian off-spinner, said after unfurling the National Flag at a Republic Day function today.

The offie, who will miss the Sri Lanka tour due to injury, said he is happy to get the award, which also adorns the cupboard of senior pros Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

"I am lucky to get selected for the award, which has already been conferred on great cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid and now I along with MS Dhoni will also get the same," he said.

"I got a call from union sports ministry, day before yesterday about the award, but I did not disclose it to anybody and finally my name was announced yesterday."

Flanked by his mother Avtar Kaur, Harbhajan dedicated the award to his late father, relatives and friends.

Preity Zinta's Kings XI to hold Punjab Cup

Last year Preity Zinta’s cricket team, Kings XI Punjab, performed well in the Indian Premier League.

Preity now wants to give a chance to budding cricketers to showcase their skills.

Her Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) will hold a cricket seminar and tournament in Chandigarh and Mohali. The T-20 tournament will be between the teams of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K.

It will also be a platform for the states to connect with different communities of the nation.

The tournament will be conducted in conjunction with the state associations and in particular the PCA.

KXIP Cup matches will be played in a league format among five teams i.e. two from Punjab and one each from the other three states. Each
team will comprise of 14 players and two officials. A total of 11 matches will be played in the tournament.

"My aim is to promote cricket at the grassroot level and to nurture new talent. I also want everyone involved to have fun," says Preity.

Preity Zinta's grand plans for Kings XI Punjab

Preity Zinta's IPL cricket team- Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) may not have made it to the finals of the inaugural IPL, but there is no denying the fact that the bubbly actress gave it her all to cheer her boys, right from the word 'go'. Captained by the flamboyant Yuvraj Singh, KXIP made it to the semis which in itself, is no mean feat.

Now before the second edition of the hugely successful IPL kicks off this year, Preity Zinta already has some special plans to further boost her team's prospects. In an attempt to further develop the game of cricket in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K, Preity's KXIP will hold a cricket seminar as well as a coaching camp in Chandigarh. The aim of this camp is to identify, nurture and groom regional talent in pursuit of excellence for the game. Besides providing a suitable platform for budding cricketers, this camp will also help identify brand 'Kings XI Punjab' with fans and the regional community as a whole.

Apart from the coaching camp, 'KXIP Cup', a T-20 tournament among the teams of the four states is also planned to be conducted at Chandigarh and Mohali from 28th Jan to 02nd Feb'09. The tournament will be conducted in conjunction with the state associations and in particular the Punjab Cricket Academy (PCA). The basic aim of the KXIP cup is not only to recognize genuine talent but also recruit them in the KXIP team and also the PCA. This cup will also be a platform for the states to connect with different communities of the nation.

The matches will be played in a league format among five teams i.e. two from Punjab and one each from the other three states (Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir). Every team will comprise of 14 players and two officials. Each team will play the other teams once and the top two teams will qualify for the finals. Hence, a total of 11 matches will be played in the tournament. The matches will be conducted at the PCA Stadium in Mohali and the Cricket Stadium, Sector 16, Chandigarh. The winning team will be given cash prize of Rs.3 lakh while the runner-up team will be given a cash prize of Rs.2 lakh.

Lanka guarded after early shock

Electing to field first, India got the first breakthrough in the form of Tillakratne Dilshan's wicket as the Lanka opener was caught short of his crease in the Dambulla ODI.

It was an utter mess in the middle. Dilshan played a Zaheer Khan-delivery towards square leg and rushed for a single but Sanath Jayasuriya was not keen and sent his partner back from halfway. Meanwhile Yusuf Pathan collected the ball and knocked the stumps to see Dilshan tread back without scoring.

However, India too are without their regular opener Virender Sehwag who is out with an injury. His absence gives Rohit Sharma a place in the playing XI. India have gone with three seamers and a spinner Pragyan Ojha.

Both the teams back themselves with series victories. While India had a 5-0 win against England, the Islanders have come off a well earned 2-1 ODI series win against Pakistan.

The two teams have played seven ODIs against each other in the last six months and India clearly dominated the contest. While Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup in Pakistan, India won the bilateral ODI series in Sri Lanka. Dhoni's boys would want to carry on the momentum. Lankans, on the other hand, are eyeing revenge and salvage some pride.

This series holds special importance for Muttiah Muralitharan as the off-spinner is just three wickets short of surpassing former Pakistani paceman Wasim Akram's world record of 502 one-day scalps.

India: MS Dhoni (Captain), Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Ishant Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jayawardene (Captain), Tillakratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Chamara Kapugedera, Sanath Jayasuriya, Farveez Maharoof, Thilana Kandamby, Thilan Thushara, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni India eye encore, revenge fuels Lanka

The 3-2 win last year fresh in mind, India will seek to maintain their supremacy while revenge will be on top of Sri Lanka's mind when the neighbours square off in the first ODI of the five-match cricket series in Dambulla on Wednesday (January 28).

Under the charismatic Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India have been in ominous form in both forms of the game and the 5-0 whitewash against England in the ODI series at home gives a fair indication of the side's might. In contrast, Sri Lanka have not been as convincing.

Under their off-colour skipper Mahela Jayawardene, the islanders struggled against minnows Zimbabwe and lost to Bangladesh in a recent tri-series in Dhaka.

Things looked better in the hastily arranged three-match ODI series in Pakistan where they lost the series opener before eventually clinching the series with back-to-back wins.

Despite holding a slight edge over the hosts, the lone worry for Dhoni remains the spin attack which sports an inexperienced look in the absence of injured off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

Hyderabad left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who has played just five ODIs so far, would spearhead the spin attack, while uncapped Saurashtra all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja would also be expected to chip in.

Dhoni himself realises what it means not to have Harbhajan in the ranks but reckons he can always fall back on the part-time options he has in Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh.

"Harbhajan has been our pick of the spinners for some time. Whether you are bowling first or second or bowling in powerplays, he is the person," Dhoni said.

"But we have two spinners in the side, Pragyan Ojha and Ravindra Jadeja. I think they will try to fill in the space left by Harbhajan's absence. Of course we have part-timers also who have done well. It is an opportunity for both the spinners to prove themselves," he added.

Otherwise, there apparently is no chink in the Indian armour but Dhoni insists it would be fatal to lower the guard, especially playing Sri Lanka at their den.

"It will be a tough series. It is tough to beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka though we had defeated them the last time around," Dhoni said.

For Jayawardene, the key is to stick to the winning ways. "Our strategy will be to try and continue the winning momentum. It is going to be a tough series and we look forward to the challenge," he said.

"We lost the first game against Pakistan. It was really tough for us to come back. We had a chat and we knew exactly what went wrong. Next two games was history," the Lankan skipper said.

Still on paper, the balance looks tilted in India's fovour considering the consistency they have shown in recent past. India have arguably the best opening pair at the moment with the Delhi duo of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in cracking form.

Despite his age, Sachin Tendulkar remains as hungry for runs as ever, while few can match Yuvraj Singh's striking ability in this format.

Among the youngsters, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma have already proved their credentials while Yusuf Pathan would be there down the order to provide the late charge.

The pace bowling department also has a formidable look about it with Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma forming a lethal new ball pair.

Sri Lanka's bowling doesn't look bad either. Nuwan Kulasekara is currently the number two bowler in the ICC ODI rankings while Thilana Kulasekara has been consistently among the wickets.

However, all eyes would be on their spin attack which comprises two of the most exciting turners of the ball of this era. Veteran Muttiah Muralitharan needs three more wickets to overtake Wasim Akram's ODI tally of 502 scalps and that would make him the highest wicket-taker in both forms of the game.

At the other end, Ajantha Mendis would fancy his chances against the same Indian line-up which he wrecked in the Asia Cup final last year.

Squads (From): India: MS Dhoni (capt), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Pragyan Ojha, Munaf Patel, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan and Ishant Sharma.

Sri Lanka: Mahela Jaywardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara, Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Jehan Mubarak, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilina Kandamby, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Kulasekera, Thilina Thushara and Angelo Mathews.

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh speaking exclusively to TIMES NOW

The Men in Blue are in Sri Lanka to play five one-day internationals and a T20 match. However, Team India will surely miss their star spinner -- Harbhajan Singh, who is out due to a hamstring injury. However, the off-spinner was more than delighted that he was honoured with the Padmashri and expressed his joy in an exclusive interview with TIMES NOW.

The Republic Day was another occasion for Harbhajan SIngh to show his patriotism, but the turbanator had more joy in store as he was awarded the Padmashri. He said, "I was thrilled and very happy to get this award because it a very prestigious kind of award. It a huge achievement for me."

Bhajji also expressed his readiness to put the entire monkeygate sage with Aussie all-rounder Andrew Symonds behind him. He said, "Whatever happened is all over now, so its best that nothing is spoken about it. I am just concentrating on my game to be honest rather than getting into all this drama that has been going on."

Meanwhile, the turbanator also said that he would love to borrow the quality of calmness from the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar to reach his goal. "I think he (Sachin) is a great guy to be with. I have learnt a lot from him. One thing that I would want to take from him would be his calmness. If I get that I am sure that I will get 600-wickets for India."

However, when it comes to dancing, there is just one hero for Bhajji and that would be he himself. He said, "Sreesanth is a good dancer, inclusing Dhoni, Yuvraj and Sachin. We all know to dance when it comes to celebrating happy moments. Whether you know to dance or not, you will feel like dancing. But the best dancer will always go to Harbhajan Singh."

He may be able to sweep any women off her feet with his moves, but the off-spinner is still looking for his lady love. Speaking on his hunt for the perfect partner, Bhajji said, "I don't know who the 'hasina' is but there is a 'khiladi' who is available. You guys can help me find my 'hasina'."

All that one knows is that, irrespective of his on-field dramas, Bhajji is a fierce fighter as well as a lively character off it.

Harbhajan dedicates Padma Shree to father

Jalandhar, Jan 26: Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh on Monday said he felt "honoured" at being chosen for the Padma Shree Award by the government of India and dedicated it to his late father.

Harbhajan and Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni are the two cricketers who will be conferred with the prestigious award.

"I am glad that I was selected for the prestigious award and it's really an honour for me," the Indian off-spinner, said after unfurling the National Flag at a Republic Day function today.

The offie, who will miss the Sri Lanka tour due to injury, said he is happy to get the award, which also adorns the cupboard of senior pros Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid.

"I am lucky to get selected for the award, which has already been conferred on great cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid and now I along with MS Dhoni will also get the same," he said.

"I got a call from union sports ministry, day before yesterday about the award, but I did not disclose it to anybody and finally my name was announced yesterday."

Flanked by his mother Avtar Kaur, Harbhajan dedicated the award to his late father, relatives and friends.

Ponting hits out at team for 'coming up a long way short'

Ricky Ponting was disappointed with Australia's failure to build on 110 for two in the fourth one-day international against South Africa

Australia's captain Ricky Ponting has admitted his side had "come up a long way short" in their eight-wicket defeat to South Africa in Adelaide on Monday and told his players "they must turn things around quickly".

A tight Commonwealth Bank Series was blown apart on Monday with the Proteas bowling the hosts out for 222 and then cruising to victory with 11.5 overs to spare. It has been a disappointing season for the Australians and, although Ponting felt the team had been competitive in the first three games of the series, he said of the defeat: "An eight-wicket loss with 12 overs to go is a big loss in a one-day game. We've come up a long way short on this occasion.

"We've obviously been comprehensively beaten. Once again with our batting we got ourselves into a reasonable position – 110 for two and a few overs later we are 130 for five – and that's been the tale right through this series to date.

"Five overs cost us. From once again getting up near 280 to 300, to struggle to 220 as you saw on a very, very good batting wicket and a very fast outfield. That total was never ever going to be enough if they played well and we didn't take wickets with the new ball."

Australia will now head to Perth to salvage some pride in the final game of the one-day series on Friday and Ponting is hopeful the team can build some confidence and some momentum in preparation for the one-day fixtures against New Zealand.

Australia will also be keen out to hold onto their No1 ranking: if South Africa win the final ODI then they will move to the top of the rankings. "We are going to need to play better than we have over the last couple of weeks if we want to turn our cricket around and we need to do it pretty quickly," added Ponting.

Meanwhile, the all-rounder Andrew Symonds will face a Cricket Australia Code of Conduct hearing over comments made about New Zealand's Brendon McCullum. Symonds told a radio programme he thought McCullum was a "lump of shit" following the Kiwi wicketkeeper-batsman's decision to play for New South Wales in the final of the KFC Big Bash on Saturday.

Cricket Australia has placed Symonds on report for a breach of Code of Behaviour provisions relating to detrimental public comment. "Given the importance of the tribunal hearing, it would be inappropriate to comment on the issue now a report has been made," the acting CA chief executive, Michael Brown, said. "Once the outcome of this hearing is finalised, CA will be in a better position to assess issues relating to Andrew Symonds."

Any suspension would delay Symonds' comeback from injury in the upcoming Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia, which starts on Friday. It would also cast a doubt on his future with the national team given he was suspended for going fishing instead of attending a team meeting in Darwin last year.

Symonds has a long list of disciplinary issues, most notably on the 2005 tour of England where he was dropped before a one-day international against Bangladesh for turning up in an unfit state.

Younis may replace Malik as captain

Following Pakistan's disastrous ODI series loss to Sri Lanka last week, reports have emerged on Tuesday that Younis Khan has been approached to take over as captain from Shoaib Malik. Cricinfo has learnt that the board chairman Ijaz Butt summoned Younis from a Quaid-e-Azam Trophy match for Habib Bank at the Gaddafi Stadium for an emergency meeting that lasted approximately 15 minutes.

Pakistan news channel Geo, quoting unnamed board sources, said the result of the meeting was that Younis had been offered the captaincy and that he had accepted it. A source close to Younis, however, told Cricinfo that he hadn't accepted it yet.

"He has been offered the captaincy, but the important thing for him is that he wants it on his own terms and conditions. As far as I know he hasn't accepted it just yet," the source said. "The offer, like before, comes at a difficult time for Pakistan cricket and that will play a part."

The reference to the past was when Younis was first offered the captaincy after a disastrous 2007 World Cup, when Inzamam-ul-Haq stepped down and retired from ODIs. He had been groomed for the role for two years prior to that as vice-captain, and only after he refused was it offered to Malik.

Younis had turned down the captaincy previously as well, in October 2006, when he replaced Inzamam briefly for the Champions Trophy in India. After he announced that he wasn't going to take up the captaincy and walked out of a press conference, he was eventually convinced by a new board chairman to lead the team.

Soon after the meeting on Tuesday, senior board officials and members of the team management as well as the selection committee held a meeting of their own with the chairman. The second meeting was to ostensibly discuss the fallout from the series; Intikhab Alam and team manager Yawar Saeed handed in their report of the series during the meeting.

If the reports are confirmed, it will end an unsettled period of leadership for Malik. Though his ODI results are impressive on the surface, they hide a string of wins against minnows such as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. More crucial to understanding the pressure to remove him at the moment is the statistic against bigger opponents. The Sri Lanka series loss means that Pakistan has now lost series against every major nation they played under Malik: in 2007-08 they lost both the Test and ODI series against South Africa at home and away to India.

There have also been persistent reports of an uneasy relationship with senior players such as Mohammad Yousuf and Shoaib Akhtar. Yousuf has criticised Malik publicly since he moved to the ICL while Malik openly questioned Shoaib's commitment during the Sri Lanka ODIs, before swiftly backtracking on his remarks.