PACEMAN Praveen Kumar has been ruled out of the World Cup due to an elbow injury and will be replaced by Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said yesterday.
India had gambled on the fitness of Kumar, who had missed the recent five-match one-day series against South Africa, by including him in the 15-member squad for the February 19-April 2 showpiece event in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Praveen Kumar can be replaced in the squad by Sreesanth,” BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.
The loss of Kumar, who has taken 57 wickets in 48 one-dayers at an average of 33.57, will be felt by the co-hosts as he delivered consistent line and length and varied pace.
His replacement, right-arm paceman Sreesanth, is known more for a volatile temperament and has been fined and cautioned on multiple occasions by the ICC and the Indian board.
Sreesanth, who was fined 10 per cent of his match fee for kicking the boundary rope after he had two lbw appeals turned down in the same over during the recent Test series against South Africa, boasts a 75 wicket haul in 51 one-dayers at an average of 32.
The temperamental 28-year-old seamer al1so had a fiery exchange of words with South African skipper Graeme Smith during the Durban Test and the bowler had said he had been “woken up” by that altercation.
“Honestly speaking, I play with a lot of passion and people misunderstand my passion for aggression. I will play with passion and try to win for my country,” he told CNN-IBN channel yesterday.
“I’m obviously happy (to be called up). I was worried with my economy (rate) but over the last two years, from whatever chances I got, I managed to bring it down.
“With age and experience you learn and I have learnt a lot. Hopefully I will do a good job.”
