The tourists are almost certain to rest the four bowlers who played in the second Test — off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, and speedsters Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan — and would look to try out Tinu Youhanan, Sarandeep Singh and Anil Kumble against a side who are no pushovers by any means, having a number of national players in their ranks.

It is a piquant situation for Kumble, India’s most successful bowler who is confronted with the task of winning back his berth for the remaining three Tests.

A good showing here against a team of past and present West Indian Test cricketers would definitely boost his chances for the third Test in Barbados next week but it may not be enough.

Unlike its two previous wins in the West Indies in 1971 and 1976, India’s victory at Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain this time was built around a three-pronged pace attack that performed quite well. They look to be automatic selections for the third Test with the Kensington Oval pitch at Barbados probably being the fastest in the West Indies.

Still, competition in the bowling department only augurs well for the Indians who, despite their win, have plenty of issues to settle before they resume their campaign in the third Test.

The biggest worry for the Indians is the opening slot which shows no signs of being sorted out. Neither Deep Dasgupta nor Sanjay Bangar have looked comfortable in this series and the indifferent form of Shiv Sunder Das has only made matters worse for the Indians.

Both Dasgupta and Bangar are likely to play tomorrow. Despite Dasgupta’s continued blunders behind the wicket, he might get the nod for the third Test if he performs well with the bat here. His replacement, Ajay Ratra, has looked inadequate with the bat and has only meant a longer tail for the Indians.

The Indians may also be tempted to try out the other specialist opener in their ranks, Wasim Jaffer. Jaffer and Dinesh Mongia are still to get a match on this tour and they fit in the role of an opener and an allrounder respectively.

For the hosts, Ridley Jacobs’ appointment as the captain of the Busta XI is an indication he is back in reckoning on account of Junior Murray’s poor run with the bat in the first two Tests. Jacob’s hasn’t been in the best of form in the last six months but Murray’s performance has given him an opening.

Darren Ganga of Trinidad has an opportunity to upstage veteran Stuart Williams out of the opener’s slot while the two Hinds — Ryan and Wavell, one an all-rounder and the other a middle order batsman — have also a lot to play for in this game.

The home team also includes fast bowler Pedro Collins as another cricketer who has represented the West Indies in recent past. All-rounder Runako Morton and Kerry Jeremy have also worn West Indian colours though only in the one-day internationals.

Among the bowlers, off-spinner Gareth Breese of Jamaica, the top wicket-taker in the Busta Shield this year and fast bowlers Darren Powell and Tino Best would be watched with interest by the West Indian selectors.

Teams (from):

India: Saurav Ganguly (capt), Shiv Sunder Das, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Dinesh Mongia, Wasim Jaffer, Sanjay Bangar, Deep Dasgupta, Ajay Ratra, Anil Kumble, Tinu Youhanan, Sarandeep Singh, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh.

Busta XI: Ridley Jacobs (capt), Tino Best, Gareth Breese, Pedro Collins, Darren Ganga, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Kerry Jeremy, Rinako Morton, Darren Powell, Dinanath Ramnaraine, Devon Smith. PTI

“I would like 600 wickets, that’s about another 180,” he said here today.

“It’s hard to take wickets, it depends on how good you play because sometimes you can drop down or you can do well. It depends on how you do.”

Muralitharan is here to receive treatment on his injured left shoulder from the orthopaedic surgeon, who operated on a similar injury to his bowling arm three years ago.

The injury is likely to keep Muralitharan sidelined for six weeks, ruling him out of the first two Tests of the upcoming three-Test series against England.

He tore ligaments above his left shoulder joint while fielding in the Sharjah Cup final against Pakistan on April 17.

The 30-year-old recently became the youngest player ever to reach 400 Test wickets.

He has averaged about 80 wickets per year recently to move to 412, only 107 behind all-time record holder Courtney Walsh of the West Indies.

Muralitharan and Australian leg spinner Shane Warne (450) seem certain to overtake Walsh in the next couple of years, fitness permitting.

Warne, (32) will probably get there first as Australia as a busy programme in the next 12 months including 12 Tests against Pakistan, England and the West Indies.

But the Australian said during the recent tour of South Africa that Muralitharan was bowling so well and was so durable he could one day reach the magical 1,000 wicket mark.

Muralitharan does not think he will remain in the game long enough for that to be achievable.

But if he keeps playing for another five years as planned, he should end his career as the greatest wicket-taker in Test cricket history.

Muralitharan has not caught up with Warne during his time in Melbourne but he paid tribute to the great Australian leggie.

“I think he is the greatest spinner because wrist spin is very hard to bowl, it’s difficult to control the ball,” said Muralitharan. “He has bowled the best.” AFP

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira married discipline with the abundant flair for which his players were known, and in Romario he had the deadliest striker in the tournament.

Diego Maradona and Andres Escobar grabbed the early headlines. Maradona scored an outstanding goal against Greece before failing a dope test and being slung out of the tournament. Escobar scored an own goal for Colombia against the USA and was later shot dead in his homeland.

Roberto Baggio proved Italy’s hero as they marched to the final, saving their skin against impressive Nigeria in the second round and grabbing a win in the quarterfinals against Spain. Two more goals saw off Bulgaria, who had earlier stunned Germany, in the semifinals, but the cruellest of twists awaited him in the final.

Brazil’s progress was serene. A thrilling 3-2 quarterfinal win over Holland put them into a semifinal clash with surprise package Sweden, where Romario’s expert finish nicked victory.

The final was a major letdown. No goals meant the first ever shootout to decide a World Cup final, and it was Baggio’s skied miss that proved decisive.

1994 World Cup legends

Romario Faria de Souza (Brazil: born 1966)

Controversial forward who mixes raw opportunism and is exceptional cool in front of goal with a fiery temperament on and off the pitch - “the night is my friend,” he says.

Starred in Brazil’s 1988 Olympic team and with PSV Eindhoven in Holland before a move to Barcelona in 1993 saw his international career take off. Provided a razor-sharp cutting edge to a largely pragmatic Brazil team at the USA 94, scoring the winner against Sweden in the semifinals. He also scored against them in the group stages, with further strikes against Cameroon, Russia and Holland taking his tally to five. Brazilian football’s topscorer for past two seasons, Romario is out of favour with current coach Luis Felipe Scolari.

Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria: born 1966)

The single most important factor behind Bulgaria’s emergence as a world football power.

Dynamic forward with a vicious left-foot and searing pace. Ran straight at the heart of defences, but was equally adept from deadball situations. Expert at drawing fouls, though his temperament often let him down.

Bulgaria hadn’t won a game in six World Cup tournaments but Stoichkov soon changed that with two penalties in a 4-0 thrashing of Greece. Was outstanding in 2-0 defeat of Argentina, scoring again, as he did against Mexico in the second round.

Stoichkov and Bulgaria’s finest hour came in the quarterfinals, however, when world champions Germany were beaten. Stoichkov curled in a majestic free-kick in the 2-1 win. He was also on target in the semifinal defeat by Italy to finish the tournament’s joint top scorer with six goals.

Roberto Baggio (Italy: born 1967)

Pony-tailed playmaker whose skill level and invention have not always been appreciated by his country. As the world’s most expensive player at Italia 90 he flattered only to deceive, scoring a brilliant individual goal against Czechoslovakia but failing where it counted in the later knockout stages. Three years later he was voted European and World Footballer of the Year and at the USA 94 was a sensation, almost single-handedly dragging Italy to the final.

Saved the Azzurri against Nigeria with two late strikes, grabbed the winner against Spain in a violent quarterfinal and then both goals in the semifinal win over Bulgaria.

Ironically, it was his skied penalty in the final shoot out against Brazil that condemned Italy to an unlucky defeat.

1994 World Cup trivia

Despite reputedly being a non-soccer country, the USA 94 saw the highest total and average attendances in World Cup history. Some 3.5 million watched the matches at an average of 69,000, compared with 2.5 million and 48,000 at Italia 90. Several of Russia’s leading players stayed at home in protest at the appointment of Pavel Sadyrin as coach.

Bulgaria’s 4-0 win over Greece was their first victory in six World Cup finals. Inspired by striker Hristo Stoichkov and balding playmaker Iordan Lechkov, they went on to knock out mighty Germany and reach the semifinals.

Andres Escobar scored an own goal in Colombia’s 1-2 defeat by the USA. On his return home, Escobar was shot dead, allegedly because the result cost the country’s drugs and betting syndicates a fortune.

Roger Milla, Cameroon’s star of 1990, became the oldest player at 42 to appear in the World Cup finals. He then became the oldest player to score when he netted in the 1-6 defeat by Russia.

Cameroon’s 17-year-old Rigobert Song became the youngest player to be sent off when he received his marching orders against Brazil.

The USA’s hopes looked bleak right from the start when singer Diana Ross missed a penalty from two yards during the opening ceremony. Germany’s Stefan Effenberg was sent home after making a rude gesture to fans while being subsitutued against South Korea. The Bayern Munich midfielder has not played for the national side since then. Mexico and Bulgaria’s second round match was held up for 15 minutes after the crossbar broke and had to be replaced.

Brazil dedicated their win to Brazilian Formula One driver Ayrton Senna, who was killed at Imola, Italy earlier in 1994.

1994 World Cup winning squad: Brazil

Goalkeepers: Claudio Taffarel, Zetti, Gilmar.

Defenders: Jorginho, Ricardo Gomes, Ricardo Rocha, Branco, Aldair, Cafu, Marcio Santos.

Midfielders: Leonardo, Mauro Silva, Dunga, Zinho, Rai, Mazinho, Paulo Sergio.

Forwards: Ronaldo, Bebeto, Romario, Muller, Viola (attaquant).

Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira.

1998 World Cup history

Swollen by a further eight teams, taking the number of finalists from 24 to 32, the 1998 tournament in France underscored the World Cup’s position as the king of sports events. The 64 matches were watched by a total television audience estimated at 36 billion, an average of more than 550 million per game. The final alone attracted two billion viewers, roughly a third of the planet.

Fittingly host nation France were to lift the trophy, Aime Jacquet’s side gathering unstoppable momentum as the tournament progressed before defeating Brazil 3-0 in a one- sided final at the gleaming 80,000-seat Stade de France. The star of the show for France was Zinedine Zidane, who bounced back from the shame of a red card against Saudi Arabia early in the competition to score two goals in the final.

Brazil’s campaign ended in mysterious circumstances, with star player Ronaldo excluded from the team-sheet for the final before being cleared to play.

It later emerged the player had had a fit in his hotel room a few hours before the final, leading many to question why he had been allowed to play.

1998 World Cup Legends Didier Deschamps (France: born 1968) France’s most-capped international with 103 appearances, Deschamps was the unsung hero of his country’s success at the 1998 World Cup.

A solid but unspectacular presence in midfield, Deschamps was derided as a “water-carrier” by rival Eric Cantona during the early 1990s.

However, although he lacked the flair of some of his more skilful colleagues, Deschamps was nevertheless a vital cog in the French lineup, unselfishly winning possession and distributing quickly to the danger men.

He retired from international football after captaining France to victory in Euro 2000, and quit the club game in 2001.

Laurent Blanc (France: born 1965)

An elegant centre-half, Blanc had briefly contemplated retiring from international football following France’s dramatic failure to qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

Quickly decided to continue however, and was to play a decisive part in France’s victory, although he was denied an opportunity to play in the final after being unfairly sent off against Croatia in the semifinals.

Coolness under pressure and an impeccable ability to spot danger early made Blanc one of the world’s finest defenders during the 1990s.

Retired from international football following Euro 2000 victory though still playing at club level with Manchester United.

Michael Laudrup (Denmark: born 1964)

A veteran of two World Cups, Michael Laudrup became arguably the finest Danish footballer of all time during a long career at the highest level which saw spells with clubs such as Juventus, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Ajax.

Blessed with marvellous balance and close control, Laudrup made his first appearance at the World Cup during Denmark’s 1986 campaign, scoring a wonderful goal in the 6-1 demolition of Uruguay during the first phase.

He missed Denmark’s greatest achievement in international football, victory in the 1992 European Championship, after a row with coach Richard Moller Nielsen.

But he returned to make his swansong — alongside younger brother Brian — at France 1998, his farewell appearance coming in the 3-2 quarter-final defeat to Brazil. AFP

In the semi-finals, Bhambri scraped past Sonal Phadke 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-4, while Sheetal Goutam thrashed Medini Sharma 6-1 6-0 in straight sets.

In the best match of the tournament so far, Phadke began in style breaking Bhambri in the second and fourth game to go up 5-0. However, Bhambri came back strongly to break Phadke in the 7th and 9th game and reduce the deficit. Phadke hit two double fisted forehands to break Bhambri in the 10th and take the first set 6-4.

In the second set, Bhambri broke Phadke in the third game but could not hold her serve in the fourth. Both players traded breaks on their service with Phadke losing her serve on the 7th and the 9th games, while Bhambri lost her serves in the 8th and 10th games.

The scores were level at 5-5, Phadke held on to her serve with an ace in the 11th game. Phadke looked like wrapping up the match as she led 40-0 in the 12th game.

However, Bhambri had other ideas. She played superbly hitting the lines on two occasions and forcing deuce. She served spiritedly to hold her serve and force the tiebreak.

Disturbed at losing an opportunity to win the match, Phadke hit three forehands out to let Bhambri seize the initiative in the tiebreak. Bhambri won the tiebreak 7-1 and levelled the set scores 1-1.

In the third set, both traded breaks on serve till 3-3. Bhambri broke a tired Phadke in the 6th, 8th and lost her serve in the 9th game.

In the 10th game, Bhambri hit two forehand winners to break Phadke at love and clinch the match in two hours and 26 minutes and ensure a passage into the women’s finals.

However, it was an easy victory for fourth seeded Sheetal Goutam as she thrashed an excited Medini Sharma 6-1 6-0 in less than 45 mins. Sharma was so overwhelmed by the occasion she was unable to get her strokes into the court.

The following are the results: Ankita Bhambri b Sonal Phadke 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-4; Sheetal Goutam b Medini Sharma 6-1 6-0. PTI 

In the other semifinal played earlier today Indian Airlines drubbed Tata Sports Club 4-0.

In the 66th minute, with the score tied at 2-2, Punjab and Sind Bank received their sixth penalty corner. The shot was taken by Mandeep Singh Ghuman, which was stopped by Vikram Pillay near his chest by his hand. The resultant penalty stroke taken by Rajinder Singh, three minutes from time, was brilliantly saved by the Air India goalie Adrian D’Souza diving full length to his right.

Air-India tasted first blood in the 21st minute when a defence splitting pass from just top of the box by Pillay found Kishore Kumar, who tapped the ball into the net.

However, Punjab and Sind Bank restored parity two minutes later through their first penalty corner with a rasping shot by Mandeep Singh Ghuman sounding the boards.

Three minutes later, a defence lapse by Punjab and Sind Bank defenders saw Kishore Kumar receive the ball unmarked inside the ‘D’ to slot the ball home to make the score 2-1 in favour of Air-India. PSB came back strongly once again to force their second penalty corner, which was duly converted by Mandeep Singh Ghuman off a direct hit. UNI