CHANDIGARH (India), Oct 7: India opening batsman Gautam Gambhir is a doubt for Monday’s fourth One-day International against Australia because of a groin injury.
Gambhir, who slipped while batting in the nets on Sunday and was helped off the pitch in pain, would undergo a scan to assess the extent of the injury, batsman Robin Uthappa told reporters.
The Delhi left-hander hit three fifties in India’s Twenty20 World Championship win last month but has not reached double figures so far in the seven-match series, which Australia lead 2-0. The opening game was abandoned because of rain.
The experienced Saurav Ganguly looks likely to return at the top of the batting if Gambhir is ruled out, having missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.
Australia left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken could return having re-joined the squad after the birth of his son, captain Ricky Ponting said.
He said winning the toss and batting first would be crucial on a dry pitch where chasing a target could be tough.
Uthappa said the batsmen were to blame for the defeats.
“We let the team down,” he said. “The batters have put their hands up and said ‘we will make amends’. It’s not pressure, but taking more responsibility.”
The Karnataka batsman said the home players had struggled to switch back quickly from Twenty20 to one-day cricket but were now ready to fight back.
India could play two regular spinners by including left-arm Murali Kartik alongside off spinner Harbhajan Singh, he said.
Ponting praised his bowlers for pegging back India’s senior players Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid and urged them to check Yuvraj Singh after he hit a superb 121 in the third game in Hyderabad on Friday.
He also said India should focus on playing well rather than on verbal duels.
“It seems as though their aggression is more directed at body language and staring and adding a few words,” he said, referring to a series of clashes that have marred the series.
“Aggressive cricket is being able to play aggressively when you’re under pressure,” he said. “We’ve seen teams, particularly against us in the past, when the pressure really comes on they change the way they play their cricket.”—Reuters