Despite ensuring their passage to the final, India showed that they were not taking things lightly as they planned not to make large-scale changes in the team for their last league match against England in the NatWest one-day tri-series at The Oval here tomorrow. The Indians have surprised all and sundry with their consistency in the triangular tournament three wins and a strong position spoilt by rain out of four league games played so far and would start favourites in the July 13 final at Lord’s against England. 

Sri Lanka, who registered a consolation victory, their only one in the tournament, against England yesterday, have unceremoniously been ousted from the title clash capping what has been a disastrous summer for them here. 

With only academic interest left in the league match against England tomorrow, India were expected to give a look-in to players like Ajay Ratra, Tinu Yohannan and V V S Laxman even while trying to maintain their winning run. 

However, according to coach John Wright, it was not to be. But for one game to Harbhajan Singh, the rest could still be cooling their heels as it was not immediately clear if anyone of them would have a look-in tomorrow. With the pace trio of Ajit Agarkar, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan looking good in the series, skipper Sourav Ganguly has gone in with only one spinner, Anil Kumble, at the cost of his other ace Harbhajan Singh.

Harbhajan, a match-winner in his own right, would be keen to make amends for his performance in India’s first match against England where he went wicketless in his 10 overs while conceding as many as 50 runs which prompted Ganguly to include Nehra at the offie’s expense in the next match and thereafter. And Nehra has done enough justice to that decision to retain his place in the side with some fine piece of bowling. He was instrumental in India's four-wicket win over Sri Lanka on Saturday returning excellent figures of 10-2-28-2. 

The brilliant performance notwithstanding, India is not exactly without worries. In its previous match against Sri Lanka there were anxious moments with the top four wickets falling cheaply with just 59 runs on board and India making heavy weather of a target of 188 runs. Virender Sehwag, often criticised for throwing away his wicket, was out to the first ball, and needs to put his act together urgently. 

So is the problem with Dinesh Mongia who is yet to get a big knock in the series. Although he has been able to get starts, he has failed to build up and consolidate. With Ganguly also not appearing in the best of frames, excess responsibility has fallen upon the middle order and more so on Sachin Tendulkar. 

Ganguly, who turned 29 today, will be playing his 200th one-day international tomorrow and would certainly try to make it a memorable one for himself. Tendulkar sent out a warning to the rivals with his dazzling 105-run knock in the rain-ruined match against England on Thursday though he could not do much against Sri Lanka, being dismissed for 19. But England must have put a strategy in place to rein in the maestro for they very well know what the Indian superstar is capable of. 

England skipper Nasser Hussain minced no words when he said, "We must have our thinking caps on in trying to get through this Indian batting line-up," referring to India’s score of 285 for four after they were reeling at one stage on 52 for three. Hussain’s worries are mainly concerned with the bowling department which has failed to impress on a number of occasions. An injury to James Kirtley has ruled out the medium-pacer from the rest of the tri-series after he dislocated a bone in his right hand during nets on Saturday. 

Also, Matthew Hoggard has had a disastrous outing erring in both line and length and conceding too many runs. But coach Duncan Fletcher has said the faith has to be kept in the youngsters for them to gain confidence. The batting could also do much with good scores from the skipper and Graham Thorpe who have had not done enough justice to their talent so far in the series.