Colombo, September 10: With an aim to become the number one ODI team in ICC ranking, Team India will start its campaign in the ongoing Compaq Cup triangular series on September 11 against New Zealand. Dhoni brigade are just one victory behind the ICC top spot.
Apart from this, skipper Dhoni & Co. are also eying to clinch the sixth series win a row here in Sri Lanka ahead if ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa.
However, Team India (Ind) has received major setback just before the crucial match against New Zealand (NZ) here at R Premadasa Stadium on Friday when inform opener Gautam Gambhir was ruled out of entire tournament due to groin injury.
India will take on Black caps in a day-night encounter of the second match of the Compaq Cup 2009.
Captain Dhoni is definitely looking to continue the winning momentum of team and will not compromise with less then a victory.
After humiliating 97 runs defeat against Sri Lanka in the opening match of Compaq Cup, Kiwis will try hard to bounce back with bonus point against India. Another defeat of Vettori & Co. will stage the set for India and Sri Lanka in the final on September 14.
Batting maestro Sachin Tendlukar and Rahul Dravid will make a comeback in the international match after long gap. Despite absence of Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan, Team India look solid in all department.
Weather:
Weather will play a major role here as met department has predicted thunderstorm through out this week.
Pitch report:
Toss is always crucial in Sri Lanka. Batting in second innings is not less than an uphill task. The pitch of R Premadasa is dry and team winning toss should bat first.
Teams (Probables):
India: MS Dhoni (Capt & wkt), Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, RP Singh, Praveen Kumar, Dinesh Karthik, Amit Mishra or Ashish Nehra.
New Zealand: Brandum McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Martin Guptill, Daniel Vettori, Grant Elliot, Nathan McCullum, DR Tuffey, Ian Butler, Shane Bond and Jacob Oram.
—Agencies