AHMEDABAD (India), Dec 17: India captain Rahul Dravid has been ruled out of the third and final cricket Test against Sri Lanka starting on Sunday due to a stomach ailment.

Indian team media manager M. Baladitya said on Saturday that opening batsman Virender Sehwag will lead the side in Dravid’s absence. Sehwag has regained fitness after missing the second Test due to a throat infection.

The media manager said Dravid was feeling weak after being admitted to hospital on Friday night for gastroenteritis.

“He (Dravid) has not shown much improvement. He is still weak and needs another 48 hours to recover,” he said.

Dravid, who replaced Saurav Ganguly as captain before the ongoing series, did not take part in practice sessions on Friday and Saturday.

Middle-order batsman Mohammad Kaif is likely to replace Dravid in the playing eleven.

Meanwhile, veteran leg-spinner Anil Kumble is set to play his 100th Test.

Kumble, who starred in a 188-run victory in the last match in New Delhi as the home side went one up the three-Test series, won praise from Dravid.

“He has proved his worth over the years and is always an asset to the side,” said Dravid.

Kumble, who bagged 10-157 in New Delhi to take his Test wicket tally to 478, will become only the fifth Indian to figure in 100 Tests after Kapil Dev (131), Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar (125 each) and Dilip Vengsarkar (116).

“Having been there for 15 years I have learnt to take things positively and focus on improving my game and bettering my performance,” Kumble said.

India, who dropped Ganguly even though the stylish left-hander scored 40 and 39 in the second Test, have an additional opener in recalled batsman Wasim Jaffer.

Jaffer, who played seven Tests without much success from 2000 to 2002, provides an alternative to left-handed opener Gautam Gambhir who has scored just five runs in three innings in the series.

Dravid and Irfan Pathan opened once each with Gambhir in the last match.

With Yuvraj Singh striking form with an impressive 77 not out in the second innings and Kaif pushing hard for a place, the competition for slots in the middle order is tough.

Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu felt India had got contributions from players when they needed them but the same could not be said for his side.

“I thought we did not concentrate hard enough. We did not get players to perform when needed and lost the match during different sessions,” said Atapattu, who scored 88 and 67 in New Delhi.

Teams (from):

India: Virender Sehwag (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Mahendra Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Anil Kumble, Rudra Pratap Singh.

Sri Lanka: Marvan Atapattu (captain), Avishka Gunawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillekeratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Jehan Mubarak, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Lasith Malinga, Sajeewa Weerakoon, Malinga Bandara.—AFP