November 09 Saturday 2002
Dravid injured as India face upbeat Windies 

NAGPUR: Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rahul Dravid is doubtful for the second One-day International against a resurgent West Indies side on Saturday (today) because of a back strain. Dravid suffered a stiff back during India's narrow defeat in the first match of a seven-game series in Jamshedpur on Wednesday. 

The 17-year-old Parthiv Patel, who has impressed in the recent Test series, has been called up as cover and will make his one-day debut if Dravid does not recover. Dravid, the team's leading batsman alongside Sachin Tendulkar and captain Saurav Ganguly, took over the demanding job earlier this year to allow India to play an extra batsman as they prepare for next year's World Cup in South Africa. 

Tendulkar (hamstring) and left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan (knee) had already been ruled out of the one-day series. The injuries will be only part of the team's worries after West Indies reached a stiff target of 284 in Jamshedpur, youngster Ramnaresh Sarwan capping his career-best 83 not out by by lashing the last ball of the match for four.