India sweats on Harbhajan fitness

Source: Agencies  |   2008-10-28  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

INDIAN off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has a toe injury and is doubtful for the third test against Australia starting tomorrow, team coach Gary Kirsten said yesterday.

The 28-year-old bowler, who is one short of 300 test wickets, briefly batted at the nets yesterday but sat out most of the session massaging a toe on his left foot.

"I'm not sure, to be honest," Kirsten said. "Hopefully it is not serious, we're not sure at the moment. I think he picked it up towards the end of the last game. It is just maybe an overuse injury."

Harbhajan took three Australian top order wickets in 10 balls in the second innings to spur India to a record 320-run win in the second test in Mohali last week. India leads the four-match series 1-0.

Indian captain and leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who missed the Mohali game with a shoulder injury, had a long spell at the nets and is expected to return to lead the side.

"Anil is looking good," the coach said, adding that if Harbhajan and Kumble were fit, leg spinner Amit Mishra would sit out the test despite taking seven wickets on his test debut at Mohali.

"There is no possibility of playing three spinners," he said. "If Kumble is fit, he is the captain of the team. He will take Mishra's place."

Former Australian spinner Shane Warne thinks his countrymen can bounce back and sees no urgent need to come out of international retirement to help out.

The 39-year-old Warne retired in January last year with a then world record of 708 test wickets, but Australia has been unable to find a suitable spin bowler to replace him.

"I think Australia will bounce back, I think that really hurt them, that last test match, and I'm sure they'll fight back in the Aussie way," Warne said in Melbourne yesterday.

He tipped skipper Ricky Ponting, experienced opener Matt Hayden and vice-captain Michael Clarke to start scoring more runs.