da winzada777： India have suffered a serious setback as three prominentmembers of the team have been ruled out of the first one-dayeragainst New Zealand through injury
Staff Reporter25-Dec-2002India have suffered a serious setback as three prominentmembers of the team have been ruled out of the first one-dayeragainst New Zealand through injury. When they take the field atAuckland on Boxing Day, India will be without the services ofbatting star Sachin Tendulkar (sprained ankle), offie HarbhajanSingh (bowling hand) and all-rounder Sanjay Bangar (knee).Tendulkar complained of pain in his ankle after sending down afew overs in the nets and and team medical staff confirmed themaster batsman would definitely miss the Auckland match. It isreported that he picked up the injury when he slipped and fellwhile bowling.”Tendulkar had to undergo ice-treatment. He has not regainedfull fitness and will sit out of the first game,” said a team official.Bangar meanwhile picked up a knee injury during catchingpractice and Harbhajan has suffered a minor problem with along-standing problem with his bowling hand.Indian team physio Andrew Leipus is most concerned aboutTendulkar, and is worried that bringing him back for the secondone-dayer could cause further damage to the ankle.”It’s quite swollen at the moment but he is able to walk around.It is a positive sign. At the moment he has just got his foot up inthe bed,” said Leipus.”It’s compressed, it’s being iced every two hours and that’s allwe can do for the next couple of days.””I will be trying to get him fit before the second game, nothing iscertain at the moment. He sprained the lateral ligament of hisankle,” added Leipus.”If necessary, we will rest him in the second game as well.”Leipus described Bangar’s knee problem as “mild” but one thatstill required the all-rounder to rest.”He went over backwards and dropped the catch and his kneesort of went underneath him,” explained Leipus.”He sprained a ligament in his left knee at that time – it’s only amild injury but he needs to rest.”Meanwhile, the team management were playing down theconcern over Harbhajan’s hand, manager NR Choudharydescribing it as just “some problem” with a “long-standing” injury.The injuries to the trio will test India’s bench strength. The teamfor the first one-day international will be selected from thefollowing:India: (from) Sourav Ganguly (captain), Ajit Agarkar, RahulDravid, Mohammad Kaif, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, VVS Laxman,Ashish Nehra, Parthiv Patel, Rakesh Patel, Virender Sehwag,Javagal Srinath, Yuvraj Singh.