Dravid dropped, Sehwag recalled to play Pakistan

The national selectors are meeting tomorrow to pick the squad for the first two games of the ODI home series against Pakistan starting next month, but large-scale changes may be ruled out.

The selectors will spend some time on the question mark over former India captain Rahul Dravid, who finished the recent home ODI series against Australia — India lost 2-4 — with an average of 10.2. But it is believed that they will finally fall back on the age-old cricketing logic of ‘form being temporary and class permanent’.

It means that Dravid will stay as part of India’s Big 3 — along with Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. It also means that Dilip Vengsarkar and Co will have to turn a blind eye to the creditable batting performances they have been watching during the Challenger series in Ahmedabad.

Moving on, Gautam Gambhir, after his Man-of-the-Match performance against Australia in the T20 game and his 73 from 74 balls today for India Reds, seems certain to be redrafted in the side though that’s where the selectors will find themselves in a spot.

Before today, S Badrinath, who replaced the injured Gambhir during the Australia series, was expected to be the weak link but his fine showing for India Red today — 82 from 79 balls — has changed things. .

Adding another twist to the selection muddle is the return of Suresh Raina, who scored 92 from 100 balls in the only Challenger game he has played. And in case former opener Virender Sehwag happens to be among the runs for India Blues tomorrow, the selectors’ job will only get tougher.

Besides, Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik had come up with match-winning performances in India’s last two games at Mumbai against Australia — the seventh ODI and the Twenty20 game. And the pacers Zaheer Khan, RP Singh and S Sreesanth are automatic picks while Irfan Pathan has cemented his place as an all-rounder. But it’s learnt that UP’s bits-and-pieces player Praveen Kumar, who has now taken nine wickets from two games, will figure in the discussions tomorrow.

Is this F1 season over?

Kimi Raikkonen may have to wait days and even weeks before the Ferrari driver can be absolutely certain that he is Formula One champion.

Even as the Finn celebrated a stunning victory against the odds in Sunday's Brazilian season-ender at Interlagos, rivals McLaren were preparing an appeal that could cast a cloud over his first title.

McLaren said on Sunday night it was ready to appeal a stewards' decision at the Brazilian Grand Prix, keeping alive Briton Lewis Hamilton's F1 title dream.

The team made the decision following the stewards' decision not to punish the BMW Sauber and Williams teams for using allegedly irregular fuel during Sunday's race, won by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen to claim the drivers' title. McLaren's decision to appeal now leaves the results of the drivers' world championship in a state of uncertainty.

If the FIA's International Court of Appeal overturns the stewards' decision and, more crucially, disqualifies the Williams and BMW Sauber drivers, then Hamilton will be elevated from seventh to fourth - giving him enough points to beat Raikkonen for the world championship.

McLaren officials notified the FIA of their intention to appeal the race stewards ' decision not to penalise BMW Sauber and Williams within an hour of the announcement, which had appeared to seal the championship for the Finn. The stewards ' decision also meant the original race result was confirmed and that Raikkonen was confirmed as champion.

He won the race and Hamilton, the 22-year-old British rookie who went into the final race with a four-point lead after leading the championship for six months, finished seventh.

That outcome left Raikkonen one point ahead of Hamilton for the season crown, denying the British racer a world championship in his rookie campaign.

Brazilian Grand Prix stewards' decided not to take action against BMW Sauber and Williams despite a report from the FIA technical delegate that stated temperatures of fuel samples taken from both cars of each team were outside the regulations.

McLaren have a week to decide whether to proceed but even then it is unlikely that they will be able to overturn Kimi's title.

Article 168 of the FIA's international sporting code makes clear that it remains up to the stewards to decide whether to move a driver up in the race classification. Drivers have been stripped of points in the past but allowed to keep their placing.

Raikkonen has seen it all before, hailed as a winner of the halted 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix only to have the victory taken away days later when it emerged that the timekeepers were wrong.

Upcoming Indian matches

Date	Time	Teams	Stadium	City	Match
November 6, Tuesday	09:00 IST	India v Pakistan	Nehru Stadium	Guwahati	First ODI
November 9, Friday	14:30 IST	India v Pakistan	Punjab CA Stadium	Mohali, Chandigarh	Second ODI
November 11, Sunday	09:00 IST	India v Pakistan	Green Park	Kanpur	Third ODI
November 15, Thursday	14:30 IST	India v Pakistan	Captain Roop Singh Stadium	Gwalior	Fourth ODI
November 18, Sunday	14:30 IST	India v Pakistan	Sawai Mansingh Stadium	Jaipur	Fifth ODI
November 22 - 26	09:30 IST	India v Pakistan	Feroz Shah Kotla	Delhi	First Test
November 30 - December 4	09:30 IST	India v Pakistan	Eden Gardens	Kolkata	Second Test
December 8 - December 12	09:30 IST	India v Pakistan	M Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bangalore	Third Test

Chawla replaces Kartik for Challenger Series

Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla has been inducted into the India Green team for the October 25-28 NKP Salve Challenger Series to be held at Ahmedabad.

"Murali Kartik has been given a rest. His place will be taken up by Piyush Chawla," said selection panel chief Dilip Vengsarkar on Monday.

Chawla suffered an ankle injury during India's triumphant campaign in the Twenty20 World Championship in South Africa last month and missed the subsequent seven-match ODI series against Australia as well as the one-off Twenty20 International.

The injury to Chawla opened up a place for Kartik who, on his recall to the national team after 20-month banishment, grabbed the chance with both hands and bowled splendidly.

The left-arm spinner from Railways appears a certainty when the team for the ODI series against Pakistan commencing at Guwahati on November 5 is picked in Ahmedabad on October 27.

Dravid hails world champ Anand

Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid hailed the "Anand effect" at a function organised to felicitate the world chess champion here on Monday.

"Winning one World Championship in itself is phenomenal…he has come back to win another. It shows his determination, drive and mental strength. That in itself is a fantastic feat," Dravid said at the function.

"He has shown the way for others in the country. He is the first world champion in India. When you have someone to follow it becomes easy. But he had no one. He has done it on his own," Dravid said, showering praise on the Chennai-born 37-year-old World Champion.

"What I see here today is an Anand effect," he added.

Dravid, who was an hour late because of a delayed flight, told the gathering that when the All India Chess Federation President N Srinivasan invited him for the function he readily accepted because he wanted to meet the champion.

"I have followed his achievement with great pride. He is an inspiration not only for me, but for all Indians."

"He has been a fantastic role model for sportsmen...for all Indians. He has gone about with dignity, even after being a double world champion, which should be a lesson for all Indians," Dravid said.

Dravid also requested Anand to write a book on chess, which would not only be cherished by people who follow the game but also by people who want to succeed in life.

"You have been a huge inspiration to all of us," he said.

Nadal confirms for Chennai Open

World number two Rafael Nadal Images has confirmed his participation for the ATP Chennai Open, to be held at the SDAT Stadium, Nungambakkam from December 31, 2007 to January 6, 2008.

The Chennai Open has attracted a strong Spanish presence, with former French Open champion Carlos Moya Images an eternal favourite in the South Indian city. This will be Nadal's third appearance in the last five years in Chennai, though the Mallorcan has failed to win a title there.

"It feels great to be coming back to Chennai," Nadal said in a statement. "I like the crowd and their enthusiasm and support and they always push you to give your best.

"I lost in the semi-finals last time and I hope to win my first Chennai Open title this year. I had some injuries this year but Iam confident that I would make a good start to the New Year and improve my performance, playing in this tournament."

Nadal started his Chennai Open journey in 2004 (then Tata Open) as a young 16-year old. He lost to Frenchman Thierry Ascione in the first round but made his mark with his first career title, partnering with Spanish compatriot Tommy Robredo to win the doubles title.

Last year Nadal looked a little rusty before eventual winner Xavier Malisse of Belgium defeated him in the semi-final.

Tournament Director, Fernando Soler said, "Rafa is a special player and his confirmation at such an early stage re-affirms the popularity and importance Chennai Open has gathered in the ATP men's tour.

India's biggest haul at Military World Games

India came up with its biggest ever medal haul at the Military World Games, finishing with two gold, one silver and seven bronze medals in the fourth edition of the event which ended here Sunday.

However, a large majority of the 196 Indian athletes in 14 events did not get close to the top three places, and the men accounted for all the medals in the seven-day event.

It is noteworthy that India was able to make a mark with a haul of 10 medals in only their second time of entering the Games.

In the last edition in Catania (Italy), India had grabbed a lone bronze medal through boxer Kehanand Beliwal.
As has been the history in the games, Russia (38 gold, 26 silver and 27 bronze), China (35-21-11) and Germany (5-10-13) proved to be supreme finishing as top three medal winners in the Games, while India finished at 19th spot amongst the 48 countries of the 103 getting into the medal bracket.

The Games move to Brazil in 2011.

This time too, Indian boxers were the most impressive as they accounted for a gold and four bronze medals.


India's first gold medal was won by the sailors in the event held in Mumbai through R Mahesh and Giridhar Yadav in the Military Class race.

Jitender Singh got the first games medal for India in the 400m Hurdles event, and Manipuri boxer, P Narjit Singh, completed the tally with a superb golden effort in the bantamweight category.

Shooters Vijay Kumar, C K Choudhary, Pemba Tamana and Hambir Singh, all from the Army Marksmanship Unit in Mhow, claimed the silver medal in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol Team category and Chatholi Hamza won a 1500m bronze dashing the hopes of current Asian champion Mohammud Othman Shaween of Saudi Arabia.

Strains and tension of competing against higher ranked athletes did not deter Jitender as he survived a tight race to finish third ahead of Konstantinos Anastasiou of Greece, who was breathing down his neck.

Jitender's last ditch effort helped him win the bronze behind top notch runners Edress Hawsawi of Saudi Arabia and Jesus Salas of Brazil.

As for Hamza, it was definitely a superb effort since he raced against well-known Kenyans and Shaween. The Indian was bunched with Gideon Gathimba and Shadrack Korir, bronze medallist in the recent Osaka World Championships, and Shaween.