Indian news round-up

The West Bengal government would install a statue of renowned cricketer Pankaj Roy in Kolkata, State Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty said in Kolkata on Friday. "We have paid our respects to the legendary soccer player Goshtho Pal by installing his statue in the Kolkata maidan. Similarly, we will install Roy's statue in the city," he said at a memorial meeting organised for Roy in the city.

The minister said the spot would be finalised after discussions with the CAB and Roy's family members. He added that the government would also allot land on a priority basis if a coaching centre named after the world record holder opening batsman was set up.

State Sports Council chairman Kamal Kumar Bosu suggested setting up a cricket academy in honour of Roy. CAB president Jagmohan Dalmiya said Roy's greatness as a cricketer could not be measured by mere statistics. The CAB would soon decide on ways of preserving the memory of Roy, he said.

Former Indian off spinner Erapalli Prasanna said that one can expect an interesting duel in the forthcoming India-Australia series. He said this while talking to the PTI in Mumbai on Friday during an exhibition game between Cricket Club of India (CCI) Invitation XI and Izingari (the oldest club in England) in a friendly match.

On the Indian team's chances, Prasanna said "Our team is definitely not weak compared to the Australians and we have a good chance of winning both the Test series as well as the one-day series." But he said that the team would definitely miss Anil Kumble. Prasanna said "I personally feel that the present Indian team is quite strong despite the absence of Kumble (who is recuperating from a shoulder operation)."

On the composition of the side, Prasanna said that the Indian captain Sourav Ganguly should come at number three. Prasanna said "I think a left hander has to come in early to counter attack as our past success against the Aussies revolved around the batting which gave our spinners enough runs on the board to do their job." On whom he rates high in the current bunch of spinners, the former off spinner said that "off spinner Sarandeep Singh could develop into a good spinner for the future."

One of the other spinners of the famous Indian spin quatret present at the stadia was leg spinner BS Chandrashekar. Chandra said it was difficult to predict on who would win the India-Australia series. Chandra said "Though it is difficult to predict the outcome of the India - Australia series, I would not call the Indians as underdogs." On India's chances, Chandra was of the opinion that "The Australians may have won 15 Tests in a row and we may have a great record at home but the one who plays well on the day will finally triumph."

Former Indian captain Ajay Jadeja appeared in the Delhi Court where his petition challenging his five-year ban by the BCCI was taken up for hearing on Friday. Talking to reporters in Delhi, Jadeja, one of the four cricketers named in the CBI report for allegedly involved in match-fixing, said "I have come here looking for justice." His lawyer Raj Anand said "There is absolutely no evidence with the BCCI for taking the disciplinary action against Jadeja."

Jadeja has also filed a separate petition against the Union sports Ministry on its show cause notice to him saying on why it should not take back the Arjuna award, conferred on him three years back. The next hearing has been set on March 29 by the Delhi High Court.

Justice Vijender Jain, after hearing hour-long arguments by Jadeja's counsel RK Anand on maintainability of the writ, also issued notices to BCCI president AC Muthiah, who headed a disciplinary committee imposing the ban and its two other members Kamal Murarka and Ram Prasad. The court also issued notices to the Union Ministry of Personnel and former CBI director K Madhavan.

A Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) press release on Saturday said that former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Samir Dighe will lead Ranji champions Mumbai in the second three-day match against the touring Australians at the Brabourne Stadium here from February 22 to 24.

Middle-order batsman, Amol Muzumdar, will be Dighe's deputy in the 15-member squad which also has little master Sachin Tendulkar, India allrounder Ajit Agarkar and former Test player Vinod Kambli.

The team: Samir Dighe (capt-WK), Amol Muzumdar (vice-capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Ajit Agarkar, Wasim Jaffer, Vinayak Mane, Vinod Kambli, Sairaj Bahutule, Paras Mhambrey, Nilesh Kulkarni, Ramesh Powar, Rajesh Pawar, Sriram Kannan, Swapnil Hazare and Kunal More. Coach: Ashok Mankad.