Zaheer, Badani, Nehra doubtful

A day after middle-order batsman V V S Laxman was declared unfit for the triangular one-day series in South Africa, paceman Zaheer Khan was on Tuesday also ruled out of the tournament, having failed to recover fully from his injury.

Board of Control for Cricket in India sources said Zaheer hasn't fully recovered from a shin injury and sports medicine expert Dr Anant Joshi informed BCCI president A C Muthiah that he would be unable to make the tour.

Railways paceman Harvinder Singh, who was named standby, will replace Zaheer, the sources said.

However, Zaheer is expected to be fully fit by the start of the Test series.

The sources said the Baroda medium-pacer was unable to withstand the 'heel in-step pressure' after bowling and Joshi advised him rest for another two weeks.

"This leaves Zaheer with about 40 more days to recover," the sources added.

It is also learnt that Hemang Badani, who was on Monday named as a replacement for Laxman for the ODI series, make not make the trip to South Africa. The Tamil Nadu batsman had injured his back while fielding in the Moin-ud Dowla Cup final on Sunday. Though he expressed his delight at being included in the squad, a scan on Tuesday morning showed he sustained a stress fracture in his back.

Baroda opener Jacob Martin, the sources said, will replace him.

Medium pacer Ashish Nehra of Delhi is also a doubtful starter. A final decision on him will be taken only after the fitness test in Bombay on Saturday.

The sources said Nehra was unable to give his 100 per cent while bowling. Joshi and former Australian great Dennis Lillee watched the Delhi speedster bowl on Monday evening and Tuesday morning at the MRF Pace Foundation in Madras.

"Though Nehra insists that he does not experience any pain in his groin, Joshi and Lillee felt he was not able to give his cent per cent at the nets yesterday and today," they said.

The selectors have been asked to look for a replacement for Nehra in case the bowler fails the fitness Test on Saturday. The sources said Debasish Mohanty is a front-runner, as Joshi was of the opinion that Mumbai fast bowler Ajit Agarkar is also not fully fit.

Medium-pacers Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad and Harvinder Singh, leg-spinner Anil Kumble and all-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi are believed to have been cleared by Joshi.

BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele had, on Monday, announced that Laxman, who has not completely recovered from knee surgery, will not be able to play in the triangular tournament and Tamil Nadu left-hander Hemang Badani will replace him.

Mail Cricket Editor