Dravid confirmed as opener, Yuvi to play in Boxing Day Test

The flip-flop has finally ended and Rahul Dravid would indeed open the innings in the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the MCG on Wednesday.

The uncertainty around Yuvraj Singh has also been put the rest and the 'sixer king' would play, his second Test in succession.

It leaves Virender Sehwag, hoisted to the main stage in the last 10 days beyond his wildest dream, in the background once again and all dreams of him emulating his swashbuckling heroics of Boxing Day Test four years ago would have to wait for some other occasion.

It hasn't been an easy decision for the team management but thankfully they have arrived at it a good 72 hours before the start of the Test.

It only suited the side that they haven't left it for the last minute as it involves three stalwarts, all of whom want to resurrect their careers floundering on the treacherous waters of international cricket.

Dravid is seeking a route from the back lanes of Tests to find a way back into the one-day squad, Yuvraj's frustration of not having established himself at the Test level has reached a flashpoint and Sehwag is desperate to leverage his still-outstanding record into a goodwill among selectors and team management.

The visitors arrived to this shore having made up their mind on Dravid as opener before a rethink occurred, largely to do with the risk of putting their best batsman in a position he is unaccustomed.

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India Tour of Australia Dec 2007 - Feb 2008 - Complete Cricket Schedule

India will fight a four match test series, one twenty-twenty match and a tri-angle series with Australia and Sri Lanka. The trios are very strong teams. The team will play the match in Australia, So the most important thing is to know the time schedule or time table. When the match will start and what are the venues both are important thing for the cricket fans.

The first Test Match will start on 26 December 2007, the twenty20 match will be held on 1 February 2008 and the Commonwealth Bank Series 2008 (One Day International) triangle ODI series between India, Australia and Sri Lanka will be held from 3rd February 2008. Check now at http://www.cricketpulse.com/UpcomingSeries/IndiaAustraliaSeries.asp

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ICL: Chennai Superstars humbles Kolkata Tigers to storm into Indian Cricket League's Final

Chennai Superstars' Rajagopal Sathish (51) wielded the willow in style and then bowled with a golden arm to beat Kolkata Tigers by 93 runs and take his team into the summit clash of the Indian Cricket League's maiden Twenty20 tournament.

After scoring 167, Chennai Superstars bundled out Tigers for a paltry 74 in 15.3 overs to win the semi-final encounter comfortably.

Tigers made a mess of their run chase, right from the start, losing wickets at regular intervals and were ultimately bundled out for the lowest total of the tournament.

Barring Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (18) and A S Jain (18), no other batsman of the Tigers made it to double figures.

Man-of-the match Sathish along with Ian Harvey, D T Kumaran and Thiru Kumaran took two wickets each.

Former Pakistani medium-pacer Shabeer Ahmed opened the floodgates after dismissing opener Darren Maddy (9) and finished with magical figures of 3-1-5-1.

D T Kumaran removed the other opener Deep Dasgupta (1) and then Sathish got into the act sending back Rajiv Kumar (8) leaving Tigers tottering at 3-31.

Kumaran pulled off a sensational catch along the boundary line off Thiru Kumaran to send back skipper Craig MacMillan (6).

Allrounder Lance Klusener (4) was also sent packing by Sathish, leaving the Tigers gasping at 5-52.

Rest of the team disintegrated like a pack of cards and in the end handing down a much easy win to the Superstars, who had earlier won their three league matches of the tournament on a trot.

Earlier, electing to bat, the Superstars after being six down in the 15th over were bailed out by Sathish.

The 26-year-old right-handed allrounder from Tamil Nadu struck a 24-ball 51 to fully entertain the modest crowd, which had turned up to watch the match despite very cold weather conditions.

Sathish's knock was studded with three sixes and six boundaries and he weaved a 61-run partnership for the seventh wicket with S V Sarvanan, who also struck a quick-fire unbeaten 24 in 16 balls.

He started hammering the Tigers bowlers showing little respect for Lance Klusener, MacMillan and Darren Maddy.

As runs started flowing freely for the Superstars, MacMillan finally got the breakthrough in the 19th over when he had Sathish caught out.

Once he was back, the tail-enders packed up quickly leaving a ball to spare.

Chandigarh Lions will meet Delhi Jets in the second semi-final on Saturday.

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