 Dravid doubtful for third Test
 Ahmedabad, Dec 17: Captain Rahul Dravid appears to be a doubtful starter because of illness as India go into the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka here tomorrow hoping that the raging controversy over Sourav Ganguly's sacking will not serve as a distraction.
Dravid was taken to a local hospital at around 11.30 pm last night after being down with gastroenteritis and a final decision on his availability will be taken later in the evening. But it appears unlikely that the stylish Karnataka batsman will be able to take the field tomorrow which means that the Indians may have to go into the match with a new captain.
Having already taken an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series, the hosts will be looking to wrap up the series with another victory which would improve their position in the ICC Test rankings. But like in the previous match in Delhi, the Indians may be forced to make changes in the batting order if Dravid is ruled out. The raging debate over the omission of Ganguly, the country's most successful captain, overshadowed the team's comprehensive 188-run victory in the second Test at Delhi's Ferozshah Kotla. But to make matters worse it is also threatening to tone down the celebrations over master spin bowler Anil Kumble's 100th Test appearance at the Motera ground here.
Kumble, who has been one of the pillars of India's campaigns since 1990 when he made his Test debut against England at Manchester, is to be felicitated by the Indian Cricket Board with a memento just before the commencement of play on the opening day which should be an extra pep to this combative cricketer's approach. It's equally important for the Indian camp to put into the back-burner the Ganguly issue and concentrate on the matter at hand - that of winning the series against a below-par Sri Lanka who are waiting for their first Test win in this country.
The home team seems to carry too strong an arsenal for the visitors who seem to be dependent on a few individuals to bail them out of trouble as they had done in the one-sided limited over series last month. India's batting clicked in Delhi barring the opening partnership and the return of vice captain Virender Sehwag from the viral infection that forced him to skip the Delhi Test augurs well for the hosts. The recall of Wasim Jaffer after three years has given an extra option for the hosts in the light of Gautam Gambhir's poor run with the bat in the series so far. The welcome return to form of Sachin Tendulkar and his world record feat of 35 Test tons at Delhi after his failure in the Chennai Test is also a good sign for the team as the extra burden is off his shoulders now and he can bat more freely than he has done in the recent past. (Agencies)
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