Injury list worries India before Bangalore Test

Mohali (Punjab): As they relished their thrilling one-wicket win against Australia in the Mohali Test and the chocolate cake and champagne that awaited them later at the Taj Hotel, team India also had some worry at the back of their mind.

That concern is about the list of injured players in the victorious team, as India take on Australia for the second Test starting at Bangalore Saturday (Oct 9).

India's men of the moment, VVS Laxman and Ishant Sharma, who scripted the close victory against all odds Tuesday, had taken pain-killer injections and had to be given treatment during short breaks on the last day of the match, to keep them fighting on.

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Team sources said that both players are still very much on the injured list.

Laxman, who is suffering from back spasm, had come out to bat only at the number 10 slot in the first innings of the Mohali Test. He lasted only for three balls for his two runs. His playing Tuesday too was doubtful but he batted with a runner (Suresh Raina) to assist him.

Pacer Zaheer Khan told the media after the match that the team physio was taking care of Laxman's problem.

Sharma, who started the Australian collapse in their second innings Monday afternoon with three wickets in eight balls, had to leave the field in the first innings on the first day itself. He bowled only 11.4 overs in the first innings owing to pain in a knee.

Opener Gautam Gambhir too has not fully recovered from a hand injury suffered during the practice game in Chandigarh, 10 km from here, against Australia last week.

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Though Gambhir played the Mohali Test, he managed to score only 25 and zero in the two innings.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh, who played in the Mohali test, too was doubtful before the match began.

In the Australian camp, strike bowler Doug Bollinger could not bowl in the afternoon Tuesday owing to abdominal sprain.