Former Indian Cricket Captain Rahul Dravid makes a return to India’s ODI team for the tri-series in Sri Lanka and for the Champions Trophy next month. Rahul Dravid replaced Rohit Sharma, who managed 15 runs in three ODI innings in the West Indies and 43 runs in three innings against major opposition in the World Twenty20.

Also the selectors did not want to take risk including Virender Sehwag, who is yet to recover fully from his shoulder injury. He was not expected to make it to the Sri Lanka tri-series and now has been left out for the Champions Trophy as well.

Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid who have made a come back to the ODI squad

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who opted out of the West Indies series, makes a comeback. Suresh Raina, who was out because of a hairline fracture of the thumb, also returns. Amit Mishra makes it into the ODI squad, replacing Pragyan Ojha as the back-up spinner to Harbhajan Singh. Dinesh Karthik and Abhishek Nayar have retained their places.

India’s ODI squad: Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Ashish Nehra, RP Singh, Amit Mishra, Dinesh Karthik, and Abhishek Nayar

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IPL season II table toppers Delhi Daredevils will clash with the 3rd placed Deccan Chargers at Durban on Wednesday.

With both teams looking set for a place in the semi-finals, Deccan will be hoping to put one over a side they have never beaten in three attempts, knowing that a win will almost guarantee them that semi-final spot one wouldn’t have believed possible after their 12 loss riddled inaugural season.

The Daredevils have played the lowest number of matches in the season till date, just 9, and yet lead the points table quite comfortably with 14 points. They will however be a little concerned with fixture congestion come the fag end of the tournament, knowing that they will need to play 7 games over the next 12 days should they reach the IPL final.

They will be buoyed further with the return of skipper Virender Sehwag who missed four games due to a hand injury he sustained while dropping a hot chance the last time these two teams met. Stand-in skipper Gautam Gambhir showed that he was a more than capable replacement picking up 3 wins in those four matches.

The selection headache that Sehwag’s return presents, is whether they should stick with the existing winning combination keeping Australian youngster David Warner in the side and get him to open with Sehwag and bring Gambhir in at no. 3, or should they return to their original eleven which was giving their bowling more balance, playing Daniel Vettori as the fourth international player, and using the Indian pair at the top of the order. Bet the rest of the league is wishing they had similar problems!

Deccan will be aware that whatever the result of their game on Wednesday, they should still make the final four with their last three games against teams currently situated at 6th, 7th and 8th place in the IPL table.

With the pressure seemingly off both teams, we should see some free-flowing stroke play, and one hopes they can replicate their awesome encounter from last season where nearly 400 runs were scored. Delhi made 194 in their 20 overs, and Deccan fell just 12 runs short thanks to a five wicket haul from leg-spinner Amit Mishra who ripped through the middle order to take his side to victory.

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Hyderabad Deccan Chargers were struggling at 55/4 in 10 overs against Delhi Daredevils in the 21st match of the second edition of the Indian Premier League at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.

Put in to bat by Virender Sehwag, Deccan Chargers got off to a poor start as they lost captain Adam Gilchrist in the first over by Dirk Nannes. Gilchrist, who hit two fours in his 8-run knock, was late in the short delivery and edged high up in the air for Dinesh Karthik to take the catch.

Nannes struck again in his next over when he had Herschelle Gibbs (0) caught at mid-off by AB de Villiers.

Rohit Sharma and Azhar Bilakhia added 33 runs for the third wicket before Rohit (17) hit a straighter delivery by Amit Mishra over the covers for Mithun Manhas to take the catch.

In the next over, Bilakhia (22) was trapped plumb in front of the wicket by a straighter delivery from Daniel Vettori.

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